


Windows to the Soul

by Spacewanderer2016



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alpha Female, Edward Cullen Bashing, F/M, Imprinting (Twilight), Lil angsty, Lil smutty, M/M, Not all Slash, Pack Dynamics, Quembry - Freeform, Slash, Twatward McSparkleNuts, Vampire Thrall, wolfpack
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2020-12-22 20:02:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 137,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21082307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spacewanderer2016/pseuds/Spacewanderer2016
Summary: Bella and Jacob would be great together, or at least that’s what everyone tells them. Two best friends try to date even though she can’t get someone else  off her mind.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AN: I realize I am like 10 years behind on the twilight bandwagon but I’m writing this more for myself. Idle hands and all that. Reviews and feedback are welcome and appreciated if anyone actually reads this. I do not own any of these characters, that’s all Stephanie Meyer. I’m hoping to go a completely different direction with them than she did because damn, those books are a cringe-fest. Enjoy(:

AN: I realize I am like 10 years behind on the twilight bandwagon but I'm writing this for myself more than anything. Idle hands and all that. Reviews and feedback are welcome and appreciated if anyone actually reads this. I do not own any of these characters, that's all Stephanie Meyer. I'm hoping to go a completely different direction with them than she did because damn, those books are a cringe-fest. Enjoy!

**Chapter 1**

Bella Swan contemplated the closest place she could buy some ginger ale as she threw up for what felt like the 100th time this week in the little bathroom in the Black's home. Bella might have thought she was pregnant if it wasn't for the fact that she was still a virgin at eighteen. Sure, some people choose abstinence or just haven't been presented with the opportunity yet, but at this point Bella felt like a scarlet "V" had been pinned to her chest like that dumb book she had to read in freshman English. 

Satisfied she had nothing left in her stomach to sacrifice, she straightened up and pulled her mahogany waves back from her sticky forehead. She definitely wasn't pregnant, but at least that would explain what the hell was making her feel like death warmed over these days. Scanning over her face in the mirror, Bella didn't see answers, only more questions. And a good amount of disgust.

Hollow eyes stared back from over heavy, purple bags. No amount of makeup would cover these puffy suckers and Bella didn't bother trying. She wasn't a fan of makeup to begin with, so she knew her novice attempts would just draw more unwanted attention.

She brushed her teeth and contemplated what she did to deserve this, whatever it was. She had the shakes and waves of nausea that hit with no warning. Smells didn't trigger it. She didn't know what did, but most afternoons she went to the Black's after school and pretty much every time she ended up face first in their toilet, holding her hair back in one hand and the other holding onto the handi-accessible railing along the wall. Bella was pretty sure Jake had been cleaning this bathroom much more frequently now that she spent so much time getting personally acquainted with their bathroom floor.

She closed her eyes so she didn't have to watch that haunted ghoul in the mirror brush the bile off its teeth. 

It had been a long couple of months. Maybe winter just made everything feel a little harsher, but she was already feeling pretty battered. She didn't need this right now. Edward had been gone for months and she didn't even miss him. Sure, she fell apart when he left her in the woods but that depression swiftly grew into anger the more she thought about the way that asshole had treated her.

She wasn't a child to be coddled and protected like a baby bird. She was a goddamn grown woman! Her virtue didn't need to be protected by outdated values and ideals of what a lady should act like. She realized she needed to stop anger-brushing her teeth before she removed the whole first layer of enamel. Dropping her abused toothbrush back in the cup with a *clink* and a silent apology, she rinsed her mouth before following the sounds of ESPN towards her best friend in the living room.

Bella thanked the spirits for normal human hearing. She was thrilled that Jake couldn't hear her stomach's mutiny from probably a mile away like certain vampires she once knew. There is no privacy with the supernatural. Every unladylike bodily function would be on surround sound, assaulting the Cullen's very prim and proper sensibilities. She chuckled to herself at the conundrum Edward must have been in. He so desperately wanted her to be a "lady" but that image would be hard for anyone to maintain with supernatural ears around. All she could do was laugh to keep herself for getting angry at the thought of him and his ridiculous notions. Between that and the mind reading, she was surprised he even still believed in the mythical unicorn that was his idea of the perfect woman. Bella was thrilled Edward could never violate her mind like that. She would have never lived up to his standards if he knew how much her tomboy childhood was alive and thriving underneath the attempted makeovers by Alice. 

Jake appreciated that she wasn't girly and he certainly didn't shame her for simply being human. He gave her a pitying look from the couch as she walked back out from the hallway looking like complete shit. He would never tell her that, of course. Even with the slight sheen of sweat on her brow and the deep bags under her eyes, he thought she was beautiful.

"Bells, is there anything I can do to make you feel better? Anything you think you'll be able to keep down? Maybe some crackers or ginger ale?" He reached an arm out for her to settle back onto the couch next to him, but she hovered towards the door. Bella hated the pity in his eyes, but she knew it just meant that Jake cared, not that he thought she was weak. She was trying to break the habit of assuming the worst.

"You read my mind, Jake. Do you think Ateara General has some ginger ale?" she asked, inching closer to the door.

"Yeah, let me run down there for you. I can be right back. I don't want you over exerting yourself" Jake replied, jumping at the chance to help his best friend however he could. He was really starting to worry about her, no matter how constantly she insisted it was nothing.

Right on cue, she stopped him, "It's nothing, Jake. Actually I think the walk will be good for me. Ya know, get some fresh air." Before he could protest she was out the front door and down the wheelchair ramp of the old red house. Jake was hot on her heels when Billy stopped him with a holler from the kitchen.

"Let her go, son. Give her some space."

Flopping back onto the couch, Jake sighed, "I just want to help, Dad. I worry about her so much and she has no clue what's making her sick like this. And what if it starts raining?"

"It probably will, we live on the Olympic Peninsula." Billy's attempt at humor didn't alleviate any of his son's concern for the girl trudging down their driveway. "Jacob, she's going through quite a trauma. Give her some time."

Billy, of course, knew what was wrong with Bella, but he couldn't quite share that with his son. If he'd even believe him, that is. Vampire thrall was a powerful influence and having spent so long in such close proximity to an entire coven of vampires, Billy wasn't surprised to watch Bella suffer through the symptoms of withdrawal. Fatigue, nausea, sweating, and chills were some of the symptoms he'd personally witnessed but who knew what hell she was enduring on her own. She was a tough gal and wasn't one to complain about much. Billy didn't even know about the hallucinations, but Bella hadn't told a soul about those for fear of being placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold.

It had been weeks since the last time Bella saw a hallucination of Edward. She stopped seeking out these visions when the depression stage transitioned into rage. If she saw him these days she'd be much more likely to chuck a rock at his stupid, glittery head than plead for him to come back to her.

Bella kicked a pebble down the road all the way to the little store while she contemplated what she would actually do if he showed up again. A rock thrown with her weak human arms would not do much against his granite, immortal body.

No, what she needed was a protector from the Quileute legends. Edward had told her about the treaty with Ephraim Black and as a way to convince her not to spend time on the reservation, he told her some men on the reservation even now were shifters. It wasn't hard for her to believe, gosh, she dated a vampire for crying out loud. If a unicorn pranced out of the woods right now, she wouldn't bat an eye.

According to Edward, those natives were volatile, dangerous, and not to be trusted. All the while she nearly gets killed thanks to a paper cut! Once again, how are the Quileutes more dangerous, Edward? She didn't know anything about the modern pack, only that they existed. Edward had only told her about the wolves that existed 70 years ago and his knowledge of them was quite limited. During his encounter with the last wolf pack, his main focus had been not getting decapitated and burned to ashes.

Jake thought they were just stories and she wasn't about to burst his little bubble about the real life horrors that ran through these forests. His very own ancestors were those wolves! Being a direct descendant, she wondered if Jake could be a shifter someday. She didn't want that for him knowing how powerful the 'Cold Ones' were that they were destined to fight. But they were made to be able to fight them. She banished the thought of whatever was strong enough to destroy a vampire with a shudder. Bella was not looking to get involved with the supernatural again any time soon, vampires or shifters all the same.

With a chuckle to herself at the mental image of super-wolves wearing spandex and capes, she walked up the steps into Ateara General. She headed straight for the back towards the refrigerated section to track down some ginger ale, passing two hulking, Quiluete men she vaguely recognized. Both were beyond muscled from head to toe and sporting tribal ink on their right biceps. The russet tone of their skin was familiar and the strong build reminded her of Jake, but he was still just a boy compared to these men. One of them was just a hair shorter and leaner but was paying Bella no attention, instead loading up a cart with what looked like an obscene amount of barbecue essentials.

The other man was a whole different story. He represented everything her police chief father warned her about in a man. Tall, dark and  _ dangerous _ . He had a crew cut that looked like it was about due for a trim. He wore a wife beater that hugged his torso, emphasizing all eight perfect abdominal muscles that Bella wanted to use as a washboard. Long muscled arms and the most masculine hands that she could already imagine touching her everywhere and anywhere. There's just something about a hard working man's calloused, large hands that always sent her imagination running wild.

His jeans slung low on his hips, displaying that heavenly "V" that she followed down his waist, eyes dancing down the happiest of trails to where she saw zero evidence of neither boxers or briefs. He had to be going commando under those cutoff jeans and that knowledge sent shivers down her spine. He shoved a hand in his pocket which only pushed the shorts lower on his hips. Maybe she was imagining it, but she could have sworn he was trying to mask an erection.

The thought set her cheeks ablaze and she dropped her eyes to her purple chucks before she tripped over her own feet and added to her embarrassment. Since when did she even think things like that?! Where did her virginal mind come up with such an idea?

She picked up her pace towards the ginger ale, her nausea completely forgotten. Bella had never shamelessly eye-fucked a man like that before, but he never would have noticed because his eyes were preoccupied doing the exact same thing to her.

The scent of strawberries, vanilla, and woman hit him even before the jingle of the bell above the door reached his ears. Paul could feel the exquisite scent wrap around him like a tangible embrace. It permeated his mind and dug roots, never to be forgotten. His wolf had him turning around before his brain could catch up as if it was dragging him by the leash.

What kind of goddess could possibly match that aroma? Paul had to shove his hands into his pockets to try and hide his body's instinctive reaction to the petite brunette walking towards them. He felt like a preteen again. When was the last time he popped an awkward boner in public? Embarrassment quickly turned to pride when Paul watched her eyes track down his body. Pretty much the only positive outcome of the phase was the pussy-slayer body that came with it. Paul made the most of that pleasurable bonus whenever possible. 

He took the opportunity of her distracted eyes to take in the sights as she walked past. He knew her from somewhere. There weren't a lot of hokwats that came around here regularly. She had a tom-boy vibe that piqued his interest. Most girls tried way too hard with the booby clothes and the makeup. A smile and a wink and they were begging for his cock or telling him they had a boyfriend even though he could smell their arousal. 

This girl, though. She had on ratty converse and a flannel that was unbuttoned just far enough for him to get an idea of how perfect those titties would feel on his face. Why wasn't she wearing a coat? It's January in Washington, wasn't she freezing? 

The uncharacteristic concern for this random girl startled Paul. Shaking his head as if to dislodge the thought, his eyes tracked her down the isle. Her perfect ass swung side to side with every step of her toned legs. He wanted to see every inch of those undoubtedly snow-white legs under those jeans. His cock was now at full attention, thankfully now hidden behind their shopping cart. He dragged his gaze back up her form to appreciate her thick mane that he could just imagine wrapping his hand around with an iron grip while he bent her over and -  _ SMACK _ .

He was snapped out of this reverie by Jared cuffing the back of his head. Hard.

"Hey man! What the hell was that for?!" Paul demanded, rubbing the back of his head. Damn shifter strength.

"Stop ogling our future Alpha's girl, man. That's just asking for trouble," Jared warned his pack brother and oldest friend.

Paul scoffed, "You don't know if that little shit is going to be our Alpha, but you do know that she isn't his. Not in a biblical sense at least. We'd be able to smell him on her."

"Man, that's gross," Jared reprimanded him. "Stop smelling poor unsuspecting women. Were you too distracted by Bella's ass to see that she's sort of a disaster right now?"

Paul didn't respond right away because he was too busy proving Jared right. He couldn't even hold his pack brother's eye for their dumb conversation because he couldn't help himself from distractedly glancing towards the register where she was now checking out.  _ Bella. _ What a fitting name, he thought. This time he didn't care that his brain was turning to flowery much over this girl. She paid for her drink, and turned to leave. Paul was disappointed when she took a different route through the store instead of walking past them again. He wanted to see if he could make her smile. She probably had a beautiful smile. He knew she had a beautiful ass. The least he was hoping for was another view of that tail.

Jared's palm firmly connected with the back of Paul's head again, snapping the wolf's attention back from the booty that Paul determined would fit perfectly in his hands. Paul whipped around with a snarl that dared the less dominant wolf to lay a hand on him again.

Jared's posture slumped to signal submission, but his words were still defiant.

"Dammit, Paul! First off, leave that girl alone. Sam has had me on Jacob's tail waiting for him to phase and she's still a mess from that bloodsucker that ditched her the night we found her in the woods. Second, you know Jacob has the bloodline to be Alpha. You're gonna have to answer to him someday, no matter how much that pisses you off. Leave his girl alone."

Before Paul could protest Jared added, "Even if they don't have a physical relationship! They are best friends and I know Billy is trying to play matchmaker. The bonfire tomorrow night is for his 16th birthday so she will probably be there. If you can't control yourself maybe you shouldn't go. Ask for a patrol shift instead or something."

Jared was just trying to help but Paul still pouted at the idea of that little baby alpha getting anywhere near an ass that fine. Having finished off the list Emily gave them, they pushed their cart toward the register and incidentally towards Bella's scent trail where she had leaned on the counter. Wolves' tracking abilities were unfathomable to the human nose, but torturous to Paul's. His nose burned with the delicious scent of where she had just been, the delightful smell now tainted with the thought of Jacob Black's supposed claim. Maybe he would go to the bonfire just to see that cute little ass again. 

Paul daydreamed all the way out to where his pick-up was parked out front, mindlessly following his pack mate in his distraction. Jared turned back to Paul, fully intending to continue his lecture about respecting women but instead got a clear picture of just how engrossed Paul was by Jake's girl.

"Christ, dude, put that one-eyed monster away before you poke someone's eye out," Jared shuddered. He made an exaggerated point to turn away as if to not accidentally have to see the tent in Paul's pants again. Paul knew how uncomfortable all of the nudity in the wolf lifestyle made Jared and he usually used that to annoy his friend. Paul was a troublemaker, if not anything.

Tucking his erection up under the waistband of his pants, Paul shamelessly smirked and knowingly provoked the pack's Second. "Don't worry, J. Kim won't see what she's missing out on."

The words had barely rolled off his tongue before Jared's fist slammed them back in. The sucker punch was well deserved. Paul knew better than to mess with an imprint, but the comment got him exactly what he was looking for: a distraction. His volatile personality demanded an outlet and his personal favorites were a fuck or a fight. Either way, Paul was damn talented and ended up satisfied. Pulverizing Jared's face would have to do for now because apparently Bella Swan was spoken for.

Being the resident bicycle, Paul had given a joyride to just about every willing female in the county between the ages of 18 and 35. The range could extend even higher with a few (dozen) drinks and a cougar's promise of a hot breakfast in the morning. However, none of those women got a reaction like that out of him. Bella's scent alone made his dick so hard he could use it to autograph a boulder. Thank the gods he doesn't have to share a mind with  _ his royal highness _ . Yet. Jake hadn't joined the pack yet, but they all knew it was inevitable. Paul was looking forward to parading his fantasies of the leech lover through the pack mind even if his carnal curiosities about the girl only served to piss off goody-two shoes Jacob Black.

Bella was eager to get back to Jake's house. She was a little ashamed at her visceral reaction to the man back in the store. On her way back out she had made a point to get a better look at his face only to realize the only eye contact he was making was with her chest. Usually she would feel objectified, but her feminist role models were rolling over in their graves while she savored the attention of this particular russet demi-god.

She shook her head to clear her mind from the lust clouding her mental processes as she walked back into the extra wide handicapped accessible doorway of the Black's home. A beet red flush still stained her cheeks when she nearly ran into Jake in the living room.

"Let's walk down to First Beach," she blurted out. "It managed not to start raining and the fresh air feels nice. "

Her best friend appraised her with a critical eye when she seemed flustered for no apparent reason. Hesitating for just a moment, Jake nodded and quickly went to change into board shorts. Bella wondered how the heck he could surf in that freezing cold water in January, but he insisted it wasn't too cold for him. She grabbed a bag for towels, water, and snacks. Lots of snacks. He was always hungry these days. With his surfboard under one arm and Bella under the other, they walked down the trail to the beach.

After the Cullen's had left Bella in the dust and she rebuilt her friendship with Jake, First Beach had become their spot. Specifically a piece of driftwood that they first encountered when Jake told her of the legends that catapulted Bella into a world of supernatural beings that she was dying to tell her best friend about. They never kept secrets, even during the years that Bella lived away with her mother. The two always kept in touch and told each other everything. Which made it even harder to sit here and get all angsty about her ex when 75% of the story is a secret to be guarded with her life. Not only because the Volturi were a threat to any human in the know, but because Bella couldn't betray the rest of the family. Edward was a pitiful, prehistoric asshat but his family didn't deserve her betrayal. Bella was a good friend and that's what she was trying to be to Jake. He didn't even realize it, but she had used him to get information and for that she felt guilty. And that she had practically ignored him the entire time she was with Doucheward. Jake's sunny disposition didn't allow room for grudges, he was just happy to be back with his friend and be back at their spot.

That's exactly where they were now. Sitting on their piece of driftwood, Bella leaning into Jake's arm to steal his impossible warmth to chase away the slight shakiness she still felt from this morning. Jake had already tried to surf but the waves just weren't cooperating today. Instead they (mostly Jake) ate the sandwiches she packed and chatted about their plans for his big birthday tomorrow. Sixteen was a rite of passage to the Quileute people. Jake would be considered a man in the eyes of the tribe. Considering he was the heir to the Chief, it was a big deal. Like invite-the-whole-tribe-to-a-bonfire kind of big deal. Jake hated the attention but he was looking forward to being one year older, especially one year closer to Bella's eighteen.

"Should I start going by Jacob now that I'm a man?" he asked with a squint to his eye.

Bella laughed and squeezed his arm even tighter. "A man? The tribe may say you're a man but Jakey, you're just fifteen". She realized she had struck a sore spot when he bristled next to her.

"Sixteen tomorrow!" he loudly insisted for the millionth time, just like any time age was brought up. It was very important to him that she knew he was barely over two years younger. He certainly didn't look any younger. He's sprouted up like a weed recently and filled out enough to easily pass for 20. The more he insisted, the more she wondered why he cared so much about what she thought of the age difference. It truly didn't bother her, but she liked to poke fun anyway. For years their fathers had been nudging them towards a relationship with the subtlety of a neon sign in a dark room. Since the kids were in diapers, Charlie and Billy have plotted the eventual marriage of their children, but Bella and Jake always had more of a friendly relationship. That didn't mean neither of them had been curious about the other.

It started as prolonged glances as they noticed attractive qualities about each other. Bella liked his dimpled smile and the way he always seemed to find a way to touch her. Holding her hand or just having a limb pressed against her on the couch, he always seemed to find a way to be in contact with her. It's just how comfortable they were with each other. The touches were innocent, but the looks weren't always. Sitting on the beach in just his wet board shorts, she couldn't help but also objectively appreciate his toned body. He still had a hint of that rounded adolescence to his face, but that was where the kiddy comparisons stopped. Muscular shoulders over a broad chest, strong arms, and long muscular legs. 

When he had walked back towards her from the water Bella blushed and ducked her head when she caught herself curiously watching the way his swim trunks stuck to the bits of Jake that she was  _ less _ familiar with. Damn, girl, where did that thought come from? Those curiosities traitorous to their friendly relationship were pushed to the back of her mind and never acknowledged in the light of day.

Jake appreciated Bella in innocent ways like the way she didn't hesitate to help someone to the best of her ability and the femininity of her dainty hands. She had a classic beauty that needed no flashy makeup or whatever the girls at La Push High did these days to look so fake. For the sake of preserving their friendship he tried not to linger on the less platonic ways he noticed her too. The way her jeans hugged her curves and oh boy, did that girl have some perfect curves. Womanly hips curved out to a bubble butt that looked awesome in jeans. She had breasts that seemed to be the perfect size, punctuated by nipples that Jake could clearly see through her borrowed long sleeve shirt at the moment thanks to the brisk wind coming off the water.

Snapping his attention up from her chest, Bella asked, "ready to go back yet, Jake?" He looked across the beach to see if there were any surfable waves but instead of answering her question, his response was only a deep growl that startled her.

"What is it, Jake?" She followed his line of sight to four men practically stomping across the beach towards the trees bordering the beach. She rolled her eyes just waiting to hear his usual song and dance.

"Sam Uley's gang of wannabe bodybuilders."

"Wannabe nothing, they're ripped," was her mumbled response but Jake didn't hear her. He was too busy rambling about how they think they're all that and a bag of chips. This was Jake's normal response to seeing those guys around the rez. This instance was especially aggravating because one of Jake's best friends, Embry Call, had joined the group of muscled misfits. Bella instantly recognized the man from her rather titillating shopping experience just a few hours ago and her stomach tried to escape up her throat. She immediately floated off into fantasies about him changing his trajectory across the beach, walking straight up to her and hauling her off over his shoulder like a caveman to have his nasty way with her.

"I swear they're watching me, Bells. I see them way too often around town to be a coincidence. Even just when I'm working in the garage I feel like eyes are watching me from the forest out back and -"

"Jake, shut up," she cut him off, realizing she could get information about her sexy mystery man. "Who's that one?"

"Geez, thanks for your concern Bells. Why do you care? There all the same steroid junkie—"

"Jake! I know Embry but who's that one?" She tried to point discreetly but it did no help to clarify.

"Sam Uley is the big one up front, but you know that. Then Jared Cameron, Paul Lahote, and—"

"Paul?"

"Stop interrupting me, woman! They're all a bunch of losers but especially him. He's the biggest sleazebag of them all. Total man whore. Why are you asking about him? Did you meet him? Did he hit on you? Bella! Did he hit on you?!" He was shaking. Jake had worked himself into a lather by the end there and he very rarely used her name. She was always Bells.

"No! Calm down, you animal. I just ran into him earlier today." Jake launched into another speech of warning and reprimand about how she should be careful around that  _ dog _ . She once again tuned him out and wondered about the group of men. They had disappeared into the treeline, but she watched them the whole way. They all had the same tattoo on their right shoulder that looked like a wolf howling with a circular design behind it. Almost like a moon. It was beautiful. She didn't remember Embry ever having a tattoo before he started hanging out with these guys. Maybe it is a gang? Why would a tiny Native American reservation have a gang? She giggled to herself as she thought that maybe they were a  _ pack _ . Edward hadn't mentioned any specific traits of the shifters but hot damn, if anyone fit her mental image of a Quiluete protector it would be Mr. Tall, Dark and Delicious. It would be  _ Paul Lahote _ .


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_ The usually green dreamscape of moss-covered life in the forest was now itself a dark, looming monster. Branches whipped Bella's skin as she gracelessly ran through the dense woodland.  _

_ Her bare feet were muddy and scrapped, but she needed to push herself faster. Faster. Her muscles burned with each stride. Her lungs burned with the exertion. She wanted to look over her shoulder. She needed to see how close those red eyes were.  _

_ She had no chance of outrunning them. It was impossible. _

_ Nobody was here to save her this time. She could feel herself slowing down. No matter how hard Bella wanted to run, her legs just wouldn't cooperate. A sound cut through the terror. Over her heartbeat pounding in her ears, over the harsh panting of her breath, she heard...howling?  _

_ Bella froze. Skidding to a stop, she strained her pitifully human ears. Overlapping howls echoed through the trees into the night. _

A loud crash from the kitchen startled Bella awake. Sitting up in her bed, she frantically looked around her room for her pursuers. The next part of the dream was always where James, Laurent, and Victoria tore her into human confetti. 

When she realized it was just Charlie bumbling around downstairs, she could finally begin to catch her breath. The absence of a self-righteous ice sculpture in her rocking chair did wonders to reassure her nerves, but her heart was still racing from that same nightmare. 

Her cold sweat had caused the sheets to stick to her like mod-podged crate paper on a friggin’ pinata. She peeled her hair up off of the nape of her sticky neck into a messy bun and flopped back into her pillows.

When she didn’t have nightmares, first light was the best part of her day. Bella usually woke up feeling like a brand new person, only to feel like a walking corpse by the time she crawled back into her bed at night. Mornings were blissfully free of the nausea, headaches, and shakiness. Usually. Stupid nightmares ruined that too.

Anxiety began to climb back up inside her as she remembered her dream.  _ Damn vampires. _

But they weren’t alone in the forest. This time there were also.. Wolves?

Bella tried to swallow down the lump in her throat. Were they chasing her too? She couldn't remember the details, only the running.

Bella took deep breaths , focusing on the texture of the ceiling of her painfully purple room. She tried to remember any more details of the dream. Four howls.  _ Four wolves. _ Chasing vampires with red eyes. Not the Cullens but real, human-drinking, evil, Dracula-wannabe vampires. Before she met James and his coven, non-vegetarian vamps still felt like a cheesy Halloween costume, not her living nightmares. 

She still couldn't believe they were real. Nobody would believe her because it just wasn't believable. Almost as unbelievable as shape shifting wolves. Edward mentioned a current pack, but she still knew nothing about them. Why was she dreaming about four of them?

She thought of Sam's group of boys, but it was just too easy. They wouldn't be stomping around the rez like hall monitors if they were actual protectors. They'd be too busy doing...wolf stuff? It just seemed too obvious. They'd be all hidden away in the forest and keeping to themselves.

Wouldn't they? The Cullens kept to themselves. Kinda. Okay, they didn't. They went to high school like a bunch of dweebs. But they didn't have a  _ duty _ like the protectors. The Cullens were simply existing and they just so happened to be existing here. She was going to drive herself crazy speculating about the wolves. 

If they were half as deranged as Edward made them sound, nobody on the rez was safe. But they were protectors, right? Their whole deal was protecting humans. That left Edward with a good reason to be wary of them,  _ he wasn't human _ . But he had been so worried for Bella’s safety as if they’d maul her the second she stepped into La Push. 

And now she worried for Jake. Shape shifting was in his blood! It would have to be dangerous to turn into something that could intimidate a vampire.

When in doubt, Google it!

She pulled out the laptop Renee had gotten her for her 18th birthday. Nowhere near as nice as the one the Cullens tried to give her, but they took all their fancy gifts and whatnot with them when they left. A hand-me-down macbook does the trick just fine, thank you very much. 

She didn't know where to start her research so the basics seemed like a good first step.. " _ Quileute Legends"  _ ..and * _ enter*.  _

Thousands of results loaded onto her screen. Thank the Google machine, one of the first links looked promising.

The first story was of how the people settled in the La Push area and of their relations with other nearby tribes. This story was vaguely familiar from a state history class somewhere throughout her public school education. Absolutely nothing supernatural stood out so she kept scrolling. 

She started to recognize storylines and characters from the stories Billy has told around the bonfire, but they were nowhere near as detailed as his accounts. Reading on a computer screen was nothing like listening to Chief Billy Black's resonating voice boom over a fire. Storytelling is an art and damn, he was a craftsman.

_ “Oh, come on Bella,” _ She groaned to herself, slapping her palm to her face. Bella must not have been fully awake, but she was now. Why was she reading stories on the internet when she could go straight to the source? She was going down to the rez later today anyway for Jake's birthday. She could just swing by early and get a word in with Billy. 

Bella slammed her macbook shut and scrambled to get ready for her mission. First, a quick shower to get that sweaty layer of nightmares off her skin. The strawberry vanilla shampoo and conditioner set was originally a gift from Renee a couple of birthdays back, but ever since then Bella bought every product she could in that same scent. Body wash, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, perfume, even hand sanitizer. It was her favorite bit of creature comfort.

Her mind drifted while she soaped herself up with the sweet smelling body wash. Just the last day felt like a week in itself, but that is only because she's been so preoccupied with  _ him _ . Paul. She thought of the man she barely knew as her hand lingered between her thighs. She remembered their odd encounter the day before and gave her nipple a tug. His hands would surely feel so much better doing this. He was so tall, she would fit snugly against his body at just the right height to be able to reach his mouth if he leaned down and she went up on her very tippy toes. Lazy circles of her middle finger against her clit sent her eyes rolling into the back of her head. She wished she had said something to him. Maybe introduced herself? Even just caught his eye to give him a shy smile. Anything. How could she be reeling from an encounter that lasted less than a minute? And that's about as long as it took for the faster circles against her clit to send her over the edge with a soft whimper drowned out by the sound of the shower.

Bella wasn't completely unfamiliar with masturbation, but never had she been able to come to an actually satisfying conclusion like that. And that quickly?! She'll have to thank this mysterious Paul for that if she ever got the chance. She wrapped up her shower quickly and stepped out onto the plush bath mat. Bella giggled at the thought of actually thanking him while she blow dried her hair and finished her simple routine. No makeup, just drying the frizz out of her curls and making sure she had a hair tie with her just in case the wind on the beach got annoying.

Layered in jeans and a thick hoodie that once belonged to Jake, she ran down the stairs, surprised she didn't see Charlie at the table with a cup of coffee and the newspaper. Instead, in his customary spot was a note that he went into work to catch up on paperwork, but would be back for Jake's birthday celebration. On a Saturday? He really needed a girlfriend.

She grabbed a poptart, her thick overcoat, and climbed into her beast of a truck to head down to the rez for some answers.

Pushing open the screen door like she owned the place, Bella stepped just inside the front door to pull off her boots to avoid tracking mud into the house.

"Didn't expect to see you this early, Bella! Did you come down to help get ready for the party? Jake is out with Quil but I could call down to the Ateara's for you?" Billy spoke from across the small living area, gesturing for her to join him in the kitchen. Bella grabbed her favorite mug from the shelf and made herself a cup of coffee before turning back to Billy.

"I'm always willing to be put to work, you know that Billy, but I was hoping to catch a word with you before anyone else got here." Bella didn't know how she was going to breach the subject of supernatural protectors and stone cold enemies from fairy tales, but if anyone was going to know about the truth, it would be Billy Black. He was the Chief and his own grandfather was a wolf himself. She knew the legends were true so either he's about to pretend he thinks she's insane or she'll get some of her curiosities satisfied. 

Billy could tell she was nervous about whatever was on her mind from the slight frown and the way her eyebrows were drawn together. She wore her emotions plain as day ever since she was little. He noted that she looked better than yesterday, but the withdrawal symptoms of thrall were still evident in the slight tremor of her hand and bags under her eyes. It deeply saddened his tired heart that this was considered an improvement. He tried not to remember how bad it had been when  _ they _ first left. 

He didn’t pity the girl, she was too tough for that, but he did have some mercy. 

"Just spit it out, honey,” he urged. “You know you can tell me anything." Billy could tell she was at war with herself about whatever she came here for. Knowing her, they could be here all day while she tried to find the perfect words.

Squaring her shoulders and looking the Chief straight in the eye, she jumped straight to the point.

"Are the Quileute protectors dangerous? I mean, to humans?" Bella tried not to stumble over her words, her bravado failing as she imagined the straight jacket he was bound to strap her in any second.

Instead, her shoulders relaxed as a slow smile creeped up his cheeks. 

He always wondered how much she really knew about the Cullens. She was a smart girl, of course she would be curious about what else was really out there. Unfortunately, it seems the Cullens had passed on their prejudices as well. Billy took a deep breath to gather his thoughts. 

"I understand why you would see the pack as a threat and your Cold Ones as the heros, but you are mistaken, Bella. The Cullens may not be human-drinkers, but most other Cold Ones out there are. The wolves protect the tribe from the red eyes and are dangerous to no other beings. Especially humans." There was no point in denying the existence of the pack. Now that he knew she was aware of vampires, his main goal was to help her with the thrall that was still affecting her somehow. It had been months and Billy was very worried how it could still be hurting her the way he has witnessed.

Bella’s concerns were, as usual, not on herself. "Does Jake know? It's in his bloodline, is he going to become one? Is he going to have to fight vampires? He can’t! They're crazy strong and fast and he's going to get hurt, Billy. Jake can't fight them! They're practically made of stone and –"

"Bella!" he had to stop her before she turned blue. "Bella, you don't have to worry about Jacob just yet. Yes, it is likely that he will become a protector. He's already showing most of the signs. The temperature, the growth spurt, the appetite, the mood swings. If he's going to phase it will happen soon. We were hoping the boys would stop phasing when the Cullens left but it seems there are still some… visitors... passing through."

Her relief for Jake was short-lived when she realized that meant there were still vampires in the area. Jake was safe for now, but he wouldn't be for long. It made sense that the Cullens would dislike the wolves and Edward was known for being a bit dramatic. Before she could bombard Billy with more questions, he continued.

"Jacob doesn't know about the wolves yet and it is a well guarded secret. You aren't supposed to know. Not even the families of all of the wolves know the secret. Bella, you cannot tell anyone. Even Jacob."

She didn't want to overstep by asking even more questions so she simply nodded. Clearly he wasn't thrilled with how much she already knew and she didn't want to disrespect Billy by pushing for more. She didn’t know what to say so she said nothing. Bella pushed her chair back from the table and put her untouched mug of coffee in the sink. She always kept a book in her car so she thought about wandering down to the beach until Jake's celebration. Avoiding eye contact with Billy, she made a beeline for the door. It wasn’t like her to be so bad-mannered, but she needed to leave. She needed to think.

“Honey, wait,” Billy called before she could make her escape. Feeling like a chastised child, she hesitated to look him in the eye. He turned his wheelchair to fully face her again and she saw, not anger, but concern written plainly across his stoic features.

"Bella, this isn't just about the wolves. I'm worried about you. Now that I know you understood what the Cullens were, I was hoping to help you." She didn't understand and he saw the confusion in her features so he continued, "Do you know what vampire thrall is, sweetheart?"

She didn't know where he was going with this so she just nodded.

"We've been searching the journals of the last pack for any new information on the Cold Ones. Honey, we think you've been affected by thrall. We've been discussing your state these past few months and-"

She stopped him there, suddenly irate, "My state? Why have the elders been talking about me? They left me! I have no connections with the Cullens anymore and I don't want to either!" She felt the slight burn of tears forming in her eyes. She hated that she cried when she was mad. 

“Those stuck-up pricks just up and left and it was the best gift they ever gave me.” Her stomach churned even at the thought of her stone cold family. Who she thought was her family. They left her. She was mad at Alice for leaving without a word and she  _ hated _ Edward for how he left her alone in the woods. 

The sudden change in blood pressure from her outburst was beginning to cause a migraine. She could already feel it building in the base of her skull. Right on time, the now familiar cold chills ran down her spine, down her arms to her shaky hands. She already knew what was going to come next and preemptively ran down the hall for the bathroom. Like clockwork, up came her breakfast.

Billy must have followed her down the hallway because his comforting tone came from the bathroom doorway. "Sweetheart, this is what I'm talking about. You're going through withdrawal. I have no idea why it has lasted this long, but their scent affects humans. From what we found in the old journals it's like a drug that draws you in. There has to be something left behind that's still affecting you."

Drawing from the rage that had replaced the hollow cavern in her chest, she spoke in a tone she never would have imagined directing at Billy Black. " _ I _ am what was left behind," she spat after wiping her mouth. "They left me in the middle of the goddamn forest and if that sparkly bastard shows up again I'll gladly introduce him to your wolves."

_ Well that answers that question _ , Billy thought to himself. At least she wasn't missing the Cullen boy. Billy was worried what would happen if they ever returned. He rolled back to make way for her after she rinsed her mouth out and splashed water on her face. Bella stormed past him back towards the kitchen. He was hoping to continue their conversation, but he knew that wasn't happening when he heard the smack of the screen door closing behind her. He hated to see what that coven had done to her. This bitter woman wasn’t the girl he watched grow up. With a sad huff he rolled over to the phone on the wall and dialed a familiar number.

"Sam, we gotta talk about Bella Swan again."

Jacob and Quil helped Sue Clearwater carry things down to the beach to start setting up tables for food at the bonfire. Jake thought it was ridiculous that all of this was for him, but the elders insisted on a traditional bonfire to acknowledge the coming of age of the heir to the Chief. The least he could do was help set up even at the protests of Sue and Emily.

"It's your birthday, go do something fun," Emily insisted with a shooing gesture of her hands. "We can set up. Besides I've got the pack mules all put to work." She looked back at the two guys that looked like they were trying to show off by carrying a table under each arm with ease. Jake recognized Sam, Emily's fiance, and that traitor Embry.

"Hasn't hung out with us in weeks and now he's here helping  _ them _ ," Quil grumbled under his breath. Jake pulled him away to go do literally anything else before Quil caused any trouble. He was pretty pissed himself that Embry had ditched them, but right before an event for the whole tribe was not the time to pick a fight with the resident golden boys.

"Thanks, Mrs. Clearwater,” Jake smiled, ignoring Emily. He wasn’t sure why Sam’s fiance was acting like they knew each other. She was related to the Clearwater’s somehow, but Jake avoided all of the drama surrounding the lady. Something to do with Leah and Sam, but he didn’t know the details of who broke up with who. He just knew Leah wasn’t the same anymore. She used to be the Rez hottie, but now she just hid out at home and snapped at everybody on her rare excursions out of the house. Jake minded his own business. He would try to talk to Embry if he could get him alone, but he didn’t care to mingle with the steroid gang now.

“We'll grab a plate and go track down Bella, I saw her reading down the beach," Jacob called over his shoulder, already pulling Quil away before their former best friend and Sam approached the women.

The pack Alpha was glad to see the two boys leaving. He didn’t trust their newest packmate to keep his distance after seeing firsthand how badly Embry missed his friends. Sam dropped his cargo and leaned down to kiss each of Emily’s scars first, as always, before a brief peck on her lips. As soon as the two cubs were out of hearing range he whispered, "I don't like you near them, Em. Jacob is closer to phasing everyday and I suspect Quil won't be too long after."

She knew his wolf and understood the need to protect, so she contained her eye roll and instead asked, "Is Paul on patrol tonight? If he won't be here I want to package up some food for him. We made tons and you know he won't take it unless I drop it off when he's not home."

Sam loved her generous heart, but she needn't worry, "He'll be here. As soon as my part with the elders is over, Embry and I will swap out with Jared and Paul. I can't wait to get some new wolves to lessen the patrol schedule on these pups." He was always looking out for them, often running doubles to cut them some slack. Sam had already given up so much to be a protector and he didn't want these boys to have to give up any more. Jared and Embry could still have promising futures some day. Maybe college but at least hold a job. Sam had a stipend from the council and Emily served tables at the diner so they were making due. 

Paul was a different story. He worked at Jared's father's constriction company when Mr. Cameron could put up with him, but for the most part, being a wolf was all he had. His father, Alexander Lahote, got himself killed when he drove off the road drunk as a skunk three years ago. Paul had only been seventeen and alone in the world. Only Paul knew where his mother was and he didn't seem to care. He mostly lived off of his wolf stipend from the council and a small inheritance from his late maternal grandmother which was discovered amongst Alex's things after he died. If it wasn't for his wolf's high metabolism keeping him from getting drunk, Paul would have been following right along his father's footsteps. Emily worried for him like the den mother she was, but Paul made it difficult to help him.

People began to gather as food was ready to be served. Jacob took the opportunity as guest of honor to be the first to serve himself a massive plate and a much smaller one to bring to Bells. He knew what she liked and didn't like well enough to choose with 95% accuracy what she'd pick out of a buffet. Quil just got one of everything and two of his favorites before grabbing them three cokes and following Jacob down the rocky beach.

Bella was settled on a beach towel behind a boulder to shield herself from the wind and mist coming off of the sea. A worn copy of a book nestled in her lap and an aura of ease surrounded her like she was right at home here on the rez. Bella looked up as if she felt them approaching and grabbed her plate from Jake without a word. 

Quil was always curious about how comfortable they were with each other. They never seemed to need words to communicate, only a look or a quirked eyebrow. It was only highlighted now that he always felt like the odd man out. He ate in silence while his mind drifted to their fourth musketeer who had abandoned them. 

Whenever Jake and Bells got all cuddly (seriously who were they fooling with this “best friends” bullshit) he used to have Embry to talk to.  _ Embry. _ He couldn't believe they hadn't talked in weeks. It's easily the longest they've been apart since kindergarten and Quil had no idea what he did wrong. He was brought out of his sulking by Bella.

"So it's like a quinceañera? Ya know, the celebration for a girl's coming of age in some Latin American cultures?" Bella joked with a playful elbow to the ribs.

"Shut up, Encyclopedia Brown. This is not a quinceañera," Jake protested, tickling her in retaliation.

Quil was already doubled over laughing, "Just imagine him in one of those big poofy ball gowns! Aww Jake, you'd look so adorable in your tiara. Maybe we could get you some glass slippers and a prince to kiss you at midnight!"

Jake punched him in the arm trying to hide his smile, "That's Cinderella, you dumbass."

Bella joined with a quip of her own, "Well some of that is Cinderella, the prince at midnight is just from Quil's fantasies."

Quil stood up in a huff and turned away from his friends to hide his red face before muttering, "I'm getting more food, you losers can go fuck yourselves." He stomped away leaving Bells laughing still.

Bella quickly sobered up when she realized Jake wasn't laughing with her. He ran a hand through his hair to push the flyaways back towards his ponytail and explained, "He's really sensitive about that actually. I joked about him having a crush on Embry once and he got totally weird about it so I steer clear of that.. uhh.. subject." He had an uncharacteristically serious look in his eye, but before Bella could speculate about Quil's sexuality, Billy's voice boomed over the crowd drawing everyone's attention.

"Today we are gathered to honor and celebrate our future Chief." Paul's eyes rolled so hard they threatened to pull a muscle. He was glad he was on two feet so he could freely think that maybe they should have done an extra lap so he didn’t have to listen to this. Billy held his hand out to Jacob, gesturing him forward. "Son, come up here and join me."

Jacob walked towards the platform where the elders sat, throwing a wink back to Bella. As much as he moaned and groaned about being the center of attention, he sure fit the part. He was made to be a leader: fair, passionate, kind, optimistic, and he brought the best out of the people around him, accepting and giving support with charm.

Billy gave a sentimental speech about the Chief lineage and the accomplishments each generation was known for. Bella recognized the thinly veiled reference to the wolfpack when Ephraim Black was described as the last Chief with a true spiritual connection to the land. Bella felt a surge of pride for her best friend knowing he would carry that mantle as well. Billy spoke with an authority and power that made Bella realize how fortunate she was to have such a personal relationship with the Chief. Most of the tribe members in attendance knew him as Chief Black. He was just her Uncle Billy.

The bonfire was lit by Sam while Jacob gracefully wrapped up the speeches by conveying his gratitude towards everyone that helped prepare and to everyone for attending. With a final wave he hopped down from the elders’ platform and walked back to Bella, wrapping her in a warm embrace.

Paul watched the annoying display of affection from his spot in formation behind the elder's table. Sam walked back from the now raging bonfire, past the bowed heads of the council, and took his place in the formation they all subconsciously fell into: Alpha up front, flanked by Jared as his second on the right, Paul on his left, and the pup just behind. They made a formidable presence, even to those who didn’t truly understand their role. Most of the tribe didn’t understand. 

Paul guessed they could sense something by the way people gave them a wide berth wherever they went. They must instinctively feel it in their bones, their Quileute blood warning them. The protectors were revered and respected by the council. All of those old men had this grand idea of what a protector should be and how they should act, cheering and congratulating each new wolf. Old Quil was the only one to actually see the last pack and he had only been a child. They didn’t know what these boys went through. They didn’t understand the pressure. It was the job of four teenagers to keep a whole tribe safe?? And the council had the audacity to look down their nose at Paul for not being perfect and nice like little Jacob Black. So what, he had a record? He kept in line now at least. Now that he couldn’t get drunk anymore.

Sam could see Paul’s clenched, shaking fists. He had been in the guy’s head enough to know it took Paul five whole seconds to get worked up about something, anything. He still phased out of anger more than any other wolf, and Sam could not have that happening in front of the whole tribe.

“Let’s check on Jacob,” Sam suggested, slapping a hand to the back of Paul’s neck and squeezing just hard enough to get his point across. “He’ll be one of us soon. Let’s go make nice.”

Understanding the reprimand, Paul put up less of a fight than he wanted to. Pasting on a plastic smile, he agreed with his Alpha, "Sure! Let's go congratulate the baby chief and say our hello's so we can eat and get out of here."

Sam led the way across the beach. All four wolves noticed Jacob physically recoil at the sight of them approaching and take a step in front of Bella. Paul thought the act of protective dominance was laughable, but Sam just shuddered at yet another sign that his lupine instincts were just under the surface.

Sam spoke first, reaching out for a handshake to check for heightened temperature, "Jacob, Happy Birthday. I'm glad we could make it to celebrate. This is a big day for you." Paul rolled his eyes like it was his job and muttered " _ kiss ass _ " under his breath.

Jake gave Sam a tight smile and terse "thanks", not wanting to stretch this encounter out longer than necessary. Sam had other ideas.

"And who is this? I don't think I've had the pleasure. I'm Sam Uley," Sam continued, holding his hand out to Bella now. She shook it and tried to hide her reaction to the heat of his touch. High body temp? Check. After seeing them behind the elders in a place of authority, her suspicions were pretty much confirmed. They moved in unison like every step was a coordinated dance. The heat, the tattoos, the impossible amount of muscle, even just the air around them seemed to shimmer with magic. These had to be the protectors.

She found her voice again, "I'm Bella Swan. My dad, Charlie, is Billy's best friend so I was practically raised with Jake."

Sam introduced her to what she was now convinced was a pack of werewolves, "This is Jared, Paul, and you know Embry."

Bella was hesitant to actually meet the man she had fantasized about just this morning so instead she smiled at Embry and then focused on introducing herself to Jared. Shaking his equally burning hand, she gave him a tight smile and a meek "Hi Jared." He looked uncomfortable and she hoped it wasn't because he saw her checking out Paul in the store yesterday. She couldn't put it off any longer without being blatantly rude. She raked her eyes up that gorgeous body, now clad in a pair of basketball shorts and  _ nothing _ else. Wasn't this man freezing? It's January in the pacific Northwest for goodness sake. It took all of her mental strength to drag her eyes away from his muscled chest and finally look up to his face. A smirk was the first thing she saw like he knew her dirty shower secret. Surely the others had noticed the way she was mentally groping the man by now, but she took her time meeting his eyes. And  _ damn _ was she glad she did.

When her cinnamon eyes met his deep, dark brown pools, she wanted to dive right in. Her legs felt like jelly, her hands were clammy, and her ribcage felt like a boa constrictor. She forgot where she was, who she was. She forgot the group of people standing around them. She forgot why she was on the beach or even that she was on a beach.

She forgot how to breathe. He didn't look much better off. She could have sworn she saw his knees buckle for just a millisecond before he caught himself.

Paul's first reaction was to doubt what just happened. He saw her yesterday, right? How did he just imprint on Bella Swan when yesterday he was eye fucking every inch of her. Oh shit, Jared was right. I was too busy staring at her ass. I would definitely remember seeing those eyes. Those big, beautiful doe eyes that he could see his future in.  _ Snap out of it, Lahote, none of that pussy shit. _

His second and more powerful reaction was anger. This girl who was supposed to be  _ HIS _ was standing here under the arm of the man (boy) that was undeniably going to be his Alpha. He hadn't seen Jacob in a few days and damn that dude was a hair trigger away from phasing. But with none of the red-hot rage that Paul remembered from this time in his life. Sam said that was all part of the package of being the "born Alpha" but his cool demeanor just pissed Paul off. He, by no means, was afraid of Jacob and he had no qualms with challenging authority, but being a wolf was the first thing Paul was good at. This was most definitely going to fuck that up. 

Imprinting was supposed to be a beautiful, magical thing according to the elders and for Jared it was. It was a little messy for Sam at first, but now he had a fantastic relationship with Emily. Paul felt like a total girl for his reverent appreciation for the concept of imprinting. He was secretly hoping for his share of that magic, no matter how much he outwardly mocked the two for being pussy-whipped. His imprint was going to be a mess and he knew it. Just another way the great wolf-y gods in the sky were saying  _ Screw you, Lahote _ . And that made him angry.

The whole group had been silent for far too long at this point and Jacob and Bella had no idea why. She was still a little love drunk from the direct, undivided attention of Mr. Sex-on-Legs to notice the awkwardness, but Jacob was uncomfortable. He cleared his throat, snapping the two hypnotized weirdos out of it. Paul took that as his cue to leave, dragging Sam with him. Jared gave a half-hearted wave "bye" and followed them leaving an awkward Embry standing with Jake and Bells. As Paul and Sam stomped away they heard Embry ask with an uncharacteristic timidness in his voice, "Umm.. you guys haven't seen Quil around have you?"

Sam trusted Embry to handle himself and allowed Paul to steer him away from the crowd. He ripped his arm out of Paul’s grasp, annoyed that he had to wait until they made it into the cover of the forest at human speed before he could throw Paul into a tree. Sam's wolf did not like being manhandled. The Alpha had given him some leniency, knowing what just happened, but he can only tamp down the dominant traits for so long.

"What the fuck was that, Paul?" he yelled with a tint of Alpha tenor in his voice.

"Sam, you gotta order me. Order me not to think about it. He's gonna phase any day now and you gotta order me not to think about the imprint." Sam had never seen Paul like this and he didn't like it. Paul was his best fighter and most in tune with his animal side. Sam knew imprinting was a whirlwind, but all he was sensing from Paul was panic. And..fear? That was an emotion Sam had never tasted from Paul. He needed to get to the bottom of this and Sam knew the fastest route.

"Are you afraid of little Jacob Black, Lahote?" Sam teased with an exaggerated pout. Paul took the bait and phased on the spot, snarling at his Alpha. Sam stayed cool as a cucumber, standing down the grey wolf foaming at the mouth in front of him.

"First off, those were my shorts, asshole,” Sam scolded. “Second, you will NOT throw a temper tantrum at me over this. I am your Alpha— " Paul cut him off by lunging at him, teeth bared. An imprint is the only thing strong enough to break rank and Sam knew that. Sam also knew that the only way he was going to get Paul to talk about this was to get him to fight first.

With the ease and practice of two years of shifting, Sam dropped his shorts and fluidly became his ebony wolf just in time to catch Paul in his teeth and push their fight further into the forest.

Bella made the first excuse she could think of to escape Jake’s curious stare after the encounter with Paul. Charlie’s cruiser was now in the parking lot so he must be around here somewhere. She wasn’t particularly interested in actually finding him, she just needed a moment to catch her breath. More than once she had to reprimand her wandering eyes for tracing the path Paul had taken across the beach. She needed to remember why she was here. This was Jake’s birthday celebration. She was here for her best friend, not some guy who was potentially a motherfreaking shape shifter. 

Jake was not thrilled about getting left alone with Embry. They hadn’t talked in weeks and now all he cared about was finding Quil. Jake not-so-kindly suggested Embry go find Quil himself and left him for another round at the food table. He tried not to let it bother him too much that Embry hadn’t even mentioned his birthday. Bella cared. He just needed to go find her. Embry could go back to his steroid gang or whatever he did that was more important than their life-long friendship. Jake made his way through the crowd to find Bella. He knew she didn't like being left alone at these things and he wanted to make sure she was okay after that uncomfortable whatever-it-was with Paul.

Bella watched Jake move through his people like an actual prince. Everyone wished him a happy birthday or offered their congratulations. He played his part well, shaking hands and kissing babies. Jake’s brilliant smile lit up the faces of everyone around him. That joy was infectious. She imagined Billy was the same way when he was younger, but now his charm had a few more wrinkles around the eyes and silver in his braid.

They finally caught each other’s eye across the beach. Jake’s smile somehow got even bigger when he finally found his Bells. She nodded her head towards the edge of the gathering and he knew exactly what she meant. She always knew when he needed to get away.

She knew he would catch up to her easily, so she headed down the beach to their driftwood log on her own. She pulled the small birthday gift from her coat pocket with a smile. She had forgotten about it with all of the weirdness earlier, but now she was excited again. It was nothing special, but she knew he wouldn't like anything flashy anyway. It's not like either of them had much cash to spare so their tradition had always been homemade gifts.

Wordlessly falling into step, they made the short walk in silence. Bella tucked her hand around his bicep and leaned her head gently against his arm. He was so tall these days she barely met his shoulder. Even through his light jacket, she could feel his warmth chase away the chill from the ocean breeze. They settled onto the makeshift bench and Bella tried not to think about what his body temperature implied. She was slightly nervous to be around him after her conversation with Billy this morning. Not that she was afraid of him, but she was afraid for him. She didn't know much about being a protector, but she knew more than she'd like about their enemies. Bella just wanted to enjoy this human moment, free of all things supernatural while Jake remained blissfully ignorant. 

Jake had been wrestling on the whole walk down the beach whether or not to ask her about Paul. There was something that he didn’t know, but he was too nervous to ask for fear of her answer. He didn’t want to ruin the peace, so he decided to let it go for now. Bella would talk when she wanted to. Ever since her last horrible ex left, Jake realized that Bella would talk when Bella was ready. The best thing he could do was be there when that happened.

Finally breaking the comfortable silence, Jake asked, "Whatcha got there, Bells?"

She had been turning the gift wrapped package over absentmindedly in her hands. The dumb keychain she made him seemed so silly in the grand scheme of things, but for now, what was important to Jake was his car. She passed him the small box and watched him pop it open with an instant smile on his face.

"Bells, thank you! For my car keys?" he asked unnecessarily, holding up the leather strap with his initials stamped into it. Jake was the crafty one between the two of them, but she managed the simple keychain with some help from Quil. They all knew how excited Jake was to be able to finally drive his beat up Rabbit after he could get his license at sixteen.

He had her up and wrapped in a cobra grip-like hug in a second. "Thank you, Bells. You'll be the first one I drive as soon as I pass my license test next weekend!"

"It's a date," she smiled back to him without a second thought of how that proclamation might be taken. He pulled back from the hug, taking his warmth with him, and looked down at her skeptically.

"A date? Really, Bells? You would go on a date with me?" His eyes were wide, giving away just a hint of the apprehension he felt awaiting her answer. Did he even want her to say yes? He had really weighed the pros and cons of asking her out. He loved her of course, but he wasn't sure he could love her like  _ that _ . She was beautiful and she was his best friend. Was it worth risking a change to the dynamic of their friendship?

She seemed to think about it for a minute. Their fathers had been encouraging them towards a relationship as long as they both could remember. She knew he was objectively attractive. She had certainly caught herself imagining what he'd look like in his birthday suit since these muscles popped out of nowhere. Ignoring the likely wolf-y cause of those muscles, she looked back up to meet his eye. "Yes, Jacob Black, I would go on a date with you."

His stomach dropped and for a second he thought it might be from dread, not excitement. But they were best friends. Naturally they would progress into this type of relationship, right?

He finally remembered how to get words out of his mouth. "I.. I always figured you'd think I was too young for you. And we're best friends, I wasn't sure you thought of me that way." She wasn't used to seeing insecurities coming from her cocksure best friend and it faltered her confidence just a step.

Stumbling over her words and shifting her weight to her other hip she tried to sound reassuring, "We're best friends, what could go wrong? I mean, you're… you're beautiful. And I was never bothered by the age difference, Jake. And hey, the age of consent in Washington is sixteen so my own father won't have to arrest me!" 

The implication sent Jake's eyebrows shooting up so fast that they nearly went missing in his hairline. Bella was already blushing bright red before she could smack a hand over her mouth to try to contain her nervous rambling. 

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there, how about that, Bells?" 

He wound his fingers together with hers, the same way they usually did when they walked the beach. It started as a necessity to keep Bella upright in the sand and quickly became natural between them. But this touch was different now. Maybe it's because now there was the possibility of more. A very real possibility, he suspected, by the last comment she made. He couldn't help but wonder, even  _ hope,  _ that Bella Swan had imagined their potential physical relationship. 

Jake led the way back down the beach and towards the parking lot. It was already dark and Bella would have to go home soon. Conversation fell back into comfortable topics like school, updates on the twins, and speculating where Quil had disappeared to today.

The Rez was the only place her behemoth of a truck blended in. A car built in this millennium would stand out like a shiny thumb around here. They wandered through the cars until they found the familiar red Chevy. This thing was an honorary member of the Black family and Jake was proud to have Bells driving it now. 

He could tell something else was on her mind when he opened her door and she paused instead of climbing in. Bella turned back to face him in the space of the open car door and startled a bit when he was already right there, nearly toe to toe with her. 

Jake wasn’t that close on accident. He wasn’t ready for her to leave. It had been a great night, a great birthday, and he prayed she didn’t bring up Lahote and ruin it all. She hadn’t asked about him yet, and he knew it was only time. Something had happened. Either today during their staring contest or something earlier that had made things so awkward. He would flay that motherfucker head to toe if he so much as looked the wrong way at Bells again. 

Bella startled him back to the present with a gentle hand on his chest. Noting the concerned crinkle in her brow, he noticed the tension in his own. He realized he was nearly shaking in anger like he never had before. Whoa, his heart was racing just from the thought of murdering Paul for whatever misdeed he had done. Bella’s face softened to something Jake could only describe as pity while he took a second to calm his breathing. Shit, now he was the one ruining the moment.

Instead of dropping her hand, Bella surprised even herself when she brought the other one up to his chest as well. They've always been supremely comfortable with each other so why would this be any different? She tipped her head back and searched his eyes for clues on how to handle this next step of their relationship. Finding no answers, only a hint of trepidation, she made the decision for them both.

"Happy Birthday, Jacob," she whispered as she pulled him down with her hands fisted in the front of his jacket. The kiss was gentle and kind. A closed mouth pucker that broke with a light smacking of skin when they pulled away. There were no fireworks, just the slight tingle of trying something new. Nothing scary or exhilarating. Just comfortable. Easy as breathing.

(Revised 9/3/2020)


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

  
  


Embry was expecting to patrol with Sam after the bonfire, but he hadn’t paid much attention to where the Alpha had gone after Paul freaked out. The second he phased in to report for duty, Sam ordered him to phase out. Embry did not hesitate to phase right back. He was eager for his first day without a patrol since he phased, but moreso, he didn’t think he could have stood another minute in the same headspace as Paul. It was usually angry or perverse, but tonight it was anguish. 

Midnight had passed before Paul had calmed down long enough to phase back. The melee wasn’t about inflicting pain, it was to release it. Sam knew that Paul had to work through the anger before he would be able to confront the real emotions at play. The last thing Sam wanted to do was hurt Paul, but any injuries were from Sam just trying to keep up. 

In a fight, Paul would always have the upperhand. He had the strength, the speed, and the skill to overpower any of the wolves on two legs or four. The occasional rouge vamp on patrol was just a chew toy to Paul. Similar to real wolves, this kind of sparring with a packmate was just how he blew off steam.

Sam had a couple broken ribs from being thrown into a tree or two and defensive injuries across his forelegs and flank. Nothing that wouldn’t heal by morning light. As usual, Paul’s worst injury was the deep bite on the scruff of his neck where Sam eventually had to pull rank and demand submission the way the wolf would understand best. He didn’t like taking away his pack’s free will, but they both knew Sam didn’t stand a chance without it. 

They couldn’t wrestle all night. It was time to face facts. Sam knew this part needed to be done outside of the pack mind. It would be easier for Paul to piece together his thoughts with more voices in his head. So his Alpha gave him more time.

Paul sat on a log near the border of the Rez. They were along the patrol route so Sam could feel a little better about not having anyone on active watch. It was pitch black thanks to the heavy cloud cover, but supernatural senses allowed Sam to see the vulnerability Paul hid so well from the rest of the world. He sat with his elbows on his knees, his head heavy in his hands.

Paul loved being a wolf. It was the first thing he was really good at, despite all of the sacrifices that came with it. He didn’t have a future that he had to give up. He didn’t have a family to keep secrets from. Hell, he even got paid by the council because it was so hard to keep a real job anymore. Now he had imprinted.

And she was taken. By their future Alpha. 

“This is supposed to be the one good thing in my life and big surprise, it’s shit too,” Paul croaked. His voice felt raw from growling in wolf form. He refused to acknowledge the lump in his throat. If he cried in front of his Alpha right now, he would just have to kill himself anyways.

“How do you think it’s gonna go down when that little prick becomes Alpha and sees that his girlfriend is my soulmate?” Paul seethed. “An imprint is supposed to be the gift from the spirits that makes all of the other bullshit worth it, Sam! And whatever, so what if she doesn’t want me. She’s better off and we all know it.”

“Paul, that’s not—,” Sam tried, but Paul cut him off. The older wolf knew now wasn’t the time for reason anyway. Paul was up and pacing back and forth.

“The spirits know I don’t deserve that kind of happiness, but now? Oh, now the second that punk phases, he’s going to have it out for me. He’s going to take his bloodright as Alpha and royally fuck me. Being a protector is the only thing I have going for me and the guy who’s going to be magically in charge is going to take that away too! Jacob Fucking Black. Of course he’s with her. Embry said they’ve been best friends their whole lives. I don’t stand a chance. He is going to make my already shitty life so much shittier. And Bel—”

He couldn’t even say her name. Paul doubled over wheezing like the breath got knocked out of him. He couldn't  _ think _ her name without wanting to go track her down. Fuck it, that's exactly what he was going to do as soon as Sam dismissed him.

Stalking her would have to be enough. Maybe his wolf would be content watching her from a distance. It would have to be enough. He just needed to survive the new boss until he could stop phasing entirely and move to like, Antarctica or something.

“Order me,” Paul demanded, standing upright again. “Order me not to think about her when he’s phased in. He’ll find out about the imprint, whatever, but if he’s going to be my Alpha someday, I need ...something.”

“Paul, you don’t know anything about her yet. Things might work out,” Sam tried to rationalize. 

“Things never work out for me, Sam. Order me.” The shakiness of Paul’s voice convinced Sam. Even if this would just make him feel better, it was something he could do for the distressed wolf. 

“ **You will not think of Bella Swan or the imprint with Jacob in the packmind.”**

The Alpha bass reverberated through the surrounding forest like a ripple of magic. Paul slumped back down to sit on a log in relief. He resented Jacob Black more than ever. He resolved to be her silent protector. Her shadow in the trees to keep her safe.

Sam gave him a moment before clearing his throat and changing the subject, "Billy Black called me this morning with some concerns about Bella."

In an instant, Paul’s hackles were raised again, a growl ripping from his human throat.

"Calm down, Paul. That's why I'm telling you this, because now it has to do with you too. Billy thinks she is suffering from withdrawal."

Paul’s mind was already racing. What kind of trouble has his beautiful imprint gotten herself into? Is this why the spirits trusted her to Paul’s care? Because this was familiar territory?

He knew all about addiction from both of his parents. He hadn't seen his mother since they left her behind in Tacoma when he was eight. His father was a somewhat functioning alcoholic, but his mother preferred to forget what planet she was on. He still clearly remembered what she was like when she came home loaded on whatever drugs she could afford that week. This was within his wheelhouse. 

"Paul, I can see you working yourself up. Let me explain before you bust into fur again. She is going through withdrawal from vampire thrall. Ya know how they can lure humans in with their scent?"

"They smell like shit though." Paul could not believe anyone or anything could find that burnt sugar and beech smell enticing. It made him want to shove febreeze soaked tampons up his nose.

Sam started to explain, but Paul didn't care about any of that. He only cared about one thing. "Is she okay? Or at least is she going to be okay?"

"That's what we've got to figure out, man.” Sam hoped a task would help focus Paul’s anxiety. “Billy thinks she is still being exposed to them somehow. They've been gone for months and she still has classic withdrawal symptoms like she's fresh off the pipe."

Paul growled, "Don't make fun of my imprint, Uley."

Hands up in a placating gesture, "Never, man, I'd never. I just want you to go sniff around her place and make sure there is no trace of leeches hanging around. I'd say you're pretty motivated to figure this out."

"I'm just glad to hear she isn't the  _ leech lover _ anymore." The whole pack had heard about the idiot human dating the vampire. Paul was reassured to hear from Sam that there was no lost love there. She hated that sparkly fucker almost as much as the wolves. So why would she hang on to something that reeked of leech?

"Go solve your girl's mystery," Sam dismissed him with a wave before walking back toward the patrol route to finish the shift alone.

"I'm not fucking Scooby-Doo, you twat," Paul flipped him off before launching back into silver fur towards Forks and towards the pull of his heart.

The school week dragged along slower than Bella thought possible. There was only twenty minutes left of her last class on Friday and she could have swore the clock was broken. Tonight was her date with Jake and she had no idea what he had planned for them to do. Something involving the Rabbit was all she knew and that alone made her a little nervous. That thing was the apple of Jake's eye, but it looked like it would fall apart if it hit a pothole big enough. Her stomach rolled with nerves once again. Was it because she was nervous?

She had put a lot of thought into Billy's theory that she was in withdrawal from vampire thrall. Edward had told her about how it made vampires the perfect predator. Everything about them drew you in almost like hypnosis. She didn't feel hypnotized now. That feeling of the thrall was hard to miss once you understood what was happening to you. Like your whole world is in a haze and this creature in front of you was the most perfect thing you could imagine. Wow, she really understood the comparison to drugs when you thought about it like that.

Billy wasn't the kind of man to tolerate nonsense so he must have a point. She tried to think about this analytically:

What could be so drenched in vamp that it was still affecting her?  _ Nothing. _ She had nothing from Edward or the Cullens. He took every last picture, momento, and souvenir from their relationship leaving only the memories in her head. Even those were starting to feel like a fever dream.

When did she feel the fullest effect of the symptoms Billy described?  _ All the time _ . Even right now, in her last class of the day waiting for the final bell to ring, she felt like a pile of garbage. The longer the day goes on, the worse she feels. 

That’s something. Ok, what else?

When does she  _ not  _ feel like something the cat dragged in?  _ Hmm _ . She tried to picture the last time she felt actually good. Not just getting by, but good. She could just imagine the lightbulb flashing on above her head. In her room, first thing in the morning. This morning even. She woke up feeling amazing. Stretched out like a cat in the sun. No nausea, headache, chills, nothing. The nights she didn’t have the James dream, at least, and those were happening less and less.

The second she went downstairs and began her day, it was all downhill from there. When she stayed at Jake's or spent more time than just a school day away from home, she got worse and worse. More specifically away from her room? Could it be that simple? It's the most logical place something from the vampire family would be amongst her things.

_ RIIIING _

Bella bolted out of her seat, nearly forgetting even her backpack, and took off towards the parking lot. She had an artifact to find. Could it be an article of clothing Alice gave her? She thought she threw them all away. Maybe a book from Carlisle? She was so focused on wondering what the relic could be the whole way home that she barely remembered driving. Miraculously, she didn’t trip or slip on a patch of ice when she raced for the front door, fumbled with her keys, and scrambled up the stairs to her room.

The silver wolf hiding in the trees cocked his head, trying to make sense of the curious incident. 

All week Paul had been running through the woods behind Bella's house every chance he got. Usually during his patrols or if he got the time during the day. Truth be told, Paul hadn't been working much lately so he had the time. He just couldn't focus on whatever task was at hand because his new imprint was driving him crazy. Sam and Jared had warned him that until it was accepted and his wolf claimed his mate he would be a little on edge. A little? Paul didn't feel a little on edge, he felt like he was walking a tightrope across the Grand Canyon and any slight misstep would send him careening into insanity.

Which is exactly why Paul was sitting just inside the treeline outside the Swan's home at exactly 3:25pm. He knew Bella would be due home from school any minute now and this little dose of her scent would hold him over. There was always a wolf watching Jacob these days, waiting for him to phase and whenever Bella was with him, Paul would  _ gladly  _ volunteer. These extra visits when she wasn't with Baby Chief were more for pleasure than duty.

A few minutes earlier than usual, Bella's truck came barreling down the road and skidded into the driveway. She ran up the steps like her tail was on fire and unlocked the door frantically. What the hell? Was something after her? A low growl rumbled out of his chest at the thought of his imprint in any kind of danger. He rounded the back of the house in time to see her through the living room windows scrambling up the stairs. He had never been inside the Swan household, but he knew her room was up the stairs to the left. He has visited her in the middle of the night enough times this past week to know that. Not to be a creep or anything, just to hear her heartbeat and ensure she was okay.

Fine, that was totally creepy, but he has a lot of free time these days. Usually if he wasn't on patrol at night he'd be in someone else's bed, burning up the sheets. Not since that bonfire. Ever since the imprint, he couldn't fathom another woman touching him like that. Only her. He wanted his slice of imprint magic and he wasn't going to fuck that up by messing around with anyone else when he knew Bella Swan was meant to be his. Anyone that called him out on being a total sap would lose some teeth, but he could admit it freely when he was alone in the pack mind.

Paul phased back, pulling on his shorts and moved back around to the side of the house. From here he could see the front door and more importantly, the window to her room on the second story. He could hear her heart racing and the sound of her moving around her room in a tizzy. He guessed she was looking for something by the sounds of drawers opening and closing and clothes rustling. Every once and while he could see her cross in front of the window. She seemed anxious and that made Paul anxious. Every molecule of his being pulled him towards her, demanding he go help. But how? What could he do? She doesn't know him. She definitely would be freaked if he just rang the doorbell and said 'hi you sounded like a damsel in distress and I'm here to save the day'.

But he wanted to help. Needed to help. Anything he could possibly do to alleviate her stress. She was stomping down the stairs now with the grace of an elephant in ballet shoes. He felt tethered. Paul didn't realize he had inched out of the woods and made it halfway across her lawn until she flew out of the house, the front door slamming against the wood siding. Bella skidded to a halt when she saw Paul standing in her front yard with a dumb look on his face.

She contained her surprise with acting deserving of an Oscar. Tamping down her immediate arousal at the sight of him, she realized the usefulness of the werewolf loitering in her yard. Ignoring whatever reason he was here, she could put him to work and some answers. The ratio of questions to answers was getting out of hand. Looking up from his shirtless chest with great effort, she soldiered on. 

"Oh perfect timing,” Bella squeaked. Ducking her head and coughing to try to adjust her voice to a normal pitch, she tried again, “I was about to go to talk to Billy, but you can help first."

"I can help," Paul repeated, a little dumbfounded that this divine woman was directly addressing him. They hadn’t spoken a word on the beach or in the market, but here was Bella Swan talking to him like it was perfectly normal for him to be here. She already had his head on backwards. This whole situation was backwards. This stranger was his soulmate and they knew nothing about each other. He would do anything she asked of him and here she was, asking for his help. 

Paul squared his broad shoulders and puffed out his chest, preening subconsciously. He wanted her to know how strong and capable he was. On some instinctive level this was the wolf trying to impress its mate.

Instantly recognizing the machismo, she corrected him, "I'm not some damsel in distress, I just need your nose."

_ Wait, what?  _ Skipping past the concern that she could read his mind, he had no idea why she would be asking for his olfactory services. What did she know? 

He followed her back into the house without a second thought. Paul was surrounded by her strawberry vanilla scent and a hint of what he knew was her arousal. He was in heaven. His dick was painfully aware of being in the vicinity of his mate, straining to get free. This imprint shit was seriously fucked up. Paul took in the biggest breath he could to savor every last molecule in the air and shoved his hands in his pockets to disguise his throbbing cock threatening to break through the zipper of his cutoff jeans. The figurative fig leaf was completely unnecessary when the last draw of his breath also caught just a whiff of the sickly sweet stench of leech. The odor instantly brought a deep growl from his chest and his body dropped into an instinctive protective crouch in front of his imprint.

"Ah ha! That's what I was looking for," Bella declared from behind him. "You can smell it can't you? My human nose is no good and I've already torn my room apart looking for it."

Realizing the scent was stale and there wasn't an immediate threat, Paul straightened his spine and turned to look back at the girl. This was the first interaction they'd had where they'd actually spoken to each other and he was dumbstruck with where to start. His jaw hung open with words unsaid so she continued on.

"Billy thinks Twatward McSparkleNuts left something in my room that's causing his thrall to still affect me." Bella chose her favorite moniker for her ex to clearly draw party lines. 

Paul let out a guffaw of laughter and surprise at the little spitfire in front of him. There was  _ definitely _ no love lost there. His imprint was perfect. And hilarious! He managed to contain his laughter, but under the cover of a sigh, the words slipped out without permission: "god, I love you."

They both froze. He certainly did not mean to say that out loud. He had never said that to anyone. Ever. Not even his parents and absolutely never to a girl before. He'd never had a relationship that lasted past the next morning.

She could easily have misheard because she was in fact, too entranced by his laughter and his voice to really pay any attention to the words themselves. His deep voice matched the rest of him: all man.

Bella recovered before he did, hoping she misunderstood him. Gesturing up the stairs she asked, "Could you help me find it? I'm just guessing by your reaction that you can smell vampire."

"Umm.. yeah."  _ Eloquent, Lahote. She's really gonna be impressed by how far you can shove your foot in your mouth. _ Trying to save face and keep up with the situation, he tried to figure out how she knew so much.

"How did you know I could... sniff it out?" He asked as he followed her up the stairs. For the first time, he actually felt guilty for checking out an ass. They paused on the landing before her room. She was nervous, he could tell.

"I connected the dots. I knew about the vampires and I knew the protectors were out there in La Push somewhere. And if anyone was a superhuman shape shifter, I imagine this is what one would look like," she finished with a sweeping gesture over his body.

"Thank you?" 

"It was definitely a compliment. Come on, let's put your nose to work." Bella swung open the door and ducked her head so her hair would fall down and hide her face. Her words may have been confident but the blush climbing her ivory cheeks betrayed her hidden insecurities.

No wonder he couldn't smell the leech residue from the edge of the forest. It was very faint, even in the house, but stronger with each step up the stairs. Just like she hoped, he followed his nose. Her room was a disaster, presumably from her looking for something from the bloodsuckers. His nose brought him to the middle of the room to the.. bed? That bastard was in her bed?! Paul had to take deep breaths and rationalize with his wolf to stop the continuous protective growl.  _ The leech hasn't been here in months. _

If it's not coming from the bed then under it? He pushed the heavy wooden frame away with one hand like it was made of cotton candy and immediately noticed the floorboard that was slightly raised. It even had a convenient divot in the edge that Paul used to pull it up. The renewed scent felt like it crawled under his skin when he reached in and pulled out a manilla envelope. Bella must have understood what it was because she snatched it out of his hands with a gasp.

"That asshole! He said he was going to leave and it would be like he was never here, but he had to go and hide this stuff in my room?!" She seemed flabbergasted, but that sounded to Paul like just the kind of thing a sneaky tick would do. Her rant wasn't over.

"Maybe I'd cut him some slack and say he didn't know about the effect of their scent on humans, but that bastard was old and knew all about the effects of his kind. And he could read minds! Carlisle would have known all about that kind of thing so Edward knew what he was doing when he left this here!"

Paul took the envelope back from her and looked inside. It looked like a bunch of photographs and a homemade CD. Clearly it meant something to her but he didn't care about her past, he just wanted to make sure that fucker didn't have a place in her future. And he knew the best way to get rid of vamp stench.

"Can we burn it?" he suggested with an evil smirk that sent her pheromones and imagination into overdrive. She tried to ignore her fantasies of what she would love to do with that mouth and nodded her head.

And that's how they found themselves in the backyard pouring lighter fluid into Charlie's charcoal grill.

"Come on, Princess, let me light it. I don't want you catching your hair on fire." Paul took the matches from her and pulled her back a few steps with his hand at her elbow. Fire and need rippled up his arm and settled in his chest.  _ Holy shit _ , that's the first time he's touched her. How the fuck did he just get a boner from touching her elbow? Quick, distract. And definitely don't touch her again.

"You sure make things interesting, we should do this again sometime," Paul smirked. He liked the way the fire reflected from her cinnamon eyes. She was just happy to catch his eye again. Eye contact with this russet demi-god was addicting. 

"Hopefully I don't have more ex-boyfriend effects to burn any time soon.” Bella absentmindedly put a hand over the spot where her chest used to feel hollow. “If I didn't have plans tonight, I'd offer you a ride home. I didn't see a vehicle with you when you were practicing how to be a garden gnome out front."

"You think you're funny don't you, Princess," he joked right back. "I was wondering if you were going to ask about that." He awkwardly rubbed the back of his head and watched his toe kick the dirt.

"I was going to call you a scarecrow, but I don't have crops and you're not exactly scrawny." She poked him in the bicep to emphasize her point. He flexed for her with a wink. Paul was practiced at being cocky. It was an easy mask to hide behind. 

Bella pulled her hand back like she had been shocked. She felt the butterflies in her stomach liquify between her thighs. Mortified at her physical reaction to this beautiful man once again, she scrambled to change the subject. "So how did you get here then? I mean, to the middle of my lawn?"

He scrambled._ Shit._ _Do I try to lie? Fuck! I can't lie to my imprint._ "I ran actually. We patrol to keep an eye out for bloodsuckers and I uhh… was in the neighborhood." 

It seemed that was the end of his explanation so she didn't push it. Something was going on here, but she didn't know enough about the wolves or anything about their situation to speculate.  _ Crap, I forgot about Jake. _

She didn’t want Paul to leave. She wanted to stay with him all night and learn about the wolves. She wanted to hear his life story and hear that perfect laugh again. She wanted to make him laugh. But this was crazy. Jake was her best friend and they were going to give dating a try. She hated to turn Paul away when everything in her told her to pull him in closer. 

"Uhh..I'm sorry but Jake should be here soon, I should get ready." 

"Oh.. yeah. I should go. I've got uh… places. Ya know, things to do." The only thing Paul had to do was continue to stalk Bella Swan and make sure Jacob didn't phase too close to her. Paul started to back away from her towards the forest.

"Have fun on your date, Princess."

He was gone so fast, all Bella could manage was calling after him, "Don't call me Princess!"

Could a werewolf die of secondhand embarrassment? Paul watched from the trees as Jacob pulled up in his eye-sore of a car to pick up his girl.

_ My Girl. _

This was going to be a long night. He had to watch his romantic rival take his imprint on the worst date ever. He felt like a creep and only a little guilty, but he was here on official business. Sam put him on Jacob Phase-Watch so he had the pleasure of witnessing their awkward date from afar. Weren't these two best friends? Why were they acting like they were on a blind date and they both didn't want to be there? When Jacob picked her up, he literally shook her hand. Paul didn't know him very well personally, but he had seen Baby Chief around enough to know that he was a hands on guy. He always had his arm around Bella and had no weirdness with hugging his friends. Why was he so awkward right now? He looked like he was picking up his cousin for prom.

The awkwardness only escalated when they got to the diner. There aren't many date options unless you go all the way into Port Angeles and Paul doubted that dumb car could make it that far. So the two lovebirds sat in the window booth of the diner that they went to with their fathers all the time.  _ Romantic. _ Thank goodness he couldn't hear their conversation from outside over the din of the other customers and the ruckus in the kitchen. Watching their body language was enough to get the gist of how this was going. Jacob kept trying to hold her hand over the table, completely oblivious that Bella was struggling to eat her veggie burger one-handed. Every time something fell out of her sandwich she blushed and shot a glare at Jake's hand shakelling hers to the table. Poor Princess. She deserved the moon and the stars.

_ Jesus Christ, did someone abduct Paul and replace him with a twelve year old girl? _

Fuck! He forgot he wasn't the only one phased in. This is what an imprint does to you.

_ Shut your goddamn mouth, Embry. You don't know shit and you won't until you imprint yourself. _

_ I hope I don't imprint like all you pussy-whipped morons. _

Embry must have been trying to hide something because he immediately started reciting the lyrics to the first song he could think of. It was Sam’s trick for keeping anything private in a shared mental space. The youngest wolf must have been pathetically desperate to cover his thoughts because he was currently singing the alphabet song through the pack mind on repeat.

_ If I have to hear the alphabet one more time, I'm ripping one of your ears off, Call. See how well wolf healing does with that. _

_ Paul, pay attention to your job. They're leaving the diner. _

Jacob opened Bella's door for her to slide into her seat with a tight-lipped smile. He jogged around the car to get in and Paul could see sweat practically pouring down the boy's face. Was he really that nervous or just that close to phasing? Either way, Paul wanted Bella away from him. All it takes is a really strong emotion to trigger the phase and that could be anything. Anger seems to be the most effective, but Jacob Black just doesn't get angry. If anyone was going to phase from being too nervous it would be this dumbass. Focusing back into the pack mind he asked Embry,

_ What's the deal with these two? I thought they were besties? _

_ They were when I used to hang out with them. This date has been cringey to watch. They were never like this before. _

Paul couldn't help but hope it was because she felt the imprint too. Maybe she's having doubts about her relationship with Jacob because she feels the connection. Embry was surprisingly encouraging of the imprint,

_ Maybe they're just not meant to be more than friends. They've always been close. As far as I know, dating is a very recent development. _

As much as he appreciated Embry's insight, having been their friend before, he was sick of thinking about his imprint's relationship with that annoying happy-go-lucky jokester. He watched the car pull out of the parking lot and could not believe where they went. Back to her house?  _ That _ was the date? The diner. That was the whole plan? God, this really was the worst date ever.

The awkward couple went inside and Paul took up his perch from earlier where he could see into the living room windows from the backyard. Bella seemed to be making popcorn while Jake picked out a movie. This was just getting weird. Did he really have to sit here and watch them watch a movie? If they start making out, Paul swore he was going to go in and rip that fuckers tongue out. He didn't care about tribal lineage or the fact that Jacob was still technically a human.

A howl cut through the trees and Embry hollered through the packmind,

_ Leech! Northwest corner. _

Thank the gods he didn't have to watch another second of this. Paul took off through the trees towards his favorite pastime: taking out bloodsuckers.

Jake picked the movie so of course they were watching  _ Transformers.  _ Bella thought since this was a date he would have picked something romantic or maybe a comedy, but she was actually relieved. Him picking his favorite dumb car robot movie was actually the most normal part of the night. She could tell that even he was overthinking things too and that was just not something Jacob Black did. They were best friends. Jake n’ Bells. So why was this so hard? She wanted this to work. It could be so easy! But the whole night had felt like they were both trying too hard and didn't know how to act around each other. 

Bella was ready to move on. She knew she loved Jake but she wasn't  _ in _ love with him. She could imagine a life with Jake. Better than she could ever imagine a life with Edward. That chapter of her life was behind her and she was ready for a new one to begin. She already felt better with Edward’s crap gone and burned to ashes. Thanks to a certain werewolf.

She couldn’t help but to daydream about her weird afternoon with Paul. What was it about that guy? She didn’t even care why he was there in the first place, she was just so shocked to see him. That electric zap when they had touched. She wanted to feel that again.

_ No. _ No, she was here with Jake. Her best friend and maybe boyfriend who she was going to fall in love with and have a simple, normal life. Bella didn’t need some whirlwind passionate romance with some guy she just met. She had Jake.

Jake hadn’t noticed Bella space out because he was distracted too. He had picked  _ Transformers _ because it was a movie they had watched a thousand times, hoping it would inject a sense of normalcy into the evening. Originally he had planned to take her somewhere after dinner, but honestly he felt like shit. He was sweating bullets and just not feeling himself. 

Dinner was awkward, he could tell. He should want to be with Bella. Their families loved each other and she was beautiful and funny. She had really grown a backbone since that uppity asshole left. She should be perfect girlfriend material. Maybe if they kissed it will feel more like a date? He could fall in love with her if he tried. Fake it 'til you make it?

That was all the convincing it took for Jacob to make a move. His left arm was already around her shoulders so he reached his right over and scooped her legs up, bringing her onto his lap. She squeaked in surprise but giggled to mask her awkwardness when she realized what he was doing.

"Jake, the movie!"

"Come on, Bells, we've seen this a thousand times." He leaned in and brushed his nose against hers once. Twice. Bella closed the gap and pressed her lips to his. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled her body flush against his. He had grown practically a foot this past month and packed on an impressive amount of muscle. Jacob was sort of beautiful and kissing him could prove to be an educational experience. She knew for a fact that he was just as virginal as she was. He had girlfriends here and there growing up but nothing serious. Edward had only ever kissed her lightly and with such reservation that it barely counted. That thought sealed Bella's determination. She resettled herself to be straddling Jake's lap and deepened their kisses. Her tongue was lightly exploring while her fingers dug into his long hair.

Jake was surprised at her boldness, but excited just the same. After their uncomfortable dinner he thought she was second guessing the choice to go out on a date with him. He had no idea how far she was willing to let this go, but he wasn't going to discourage her from going as far as she wanted. He slid his hands from her hips under the edge of her shirt and felt the smooth skin of her lower back. She arched into him with his touch which encouraged him to go higher. Her hands were busy exploring his chest and shoulders and he thought he'd make it easier for her.

"Um, Bells? When is Charlie going to be home?" he drew his lips down her neck and continued planting kisses down her shoulder.

"He's got the overnight shift and is going straight to your house in the morning to go fishing with Billy. Packed up his gear and everything."

Jake pulled his shirt over his head to give her roaming hands better acess and because it felt like a fucking oven in the house to him. He wondered how Bella wasn't sweating like he was, but any thoughts were quickly derailed when she followed suit and pulled her shirt over her head too. Her hair came tumbling back down and perfectly framed her breasts in her simple navy blue bra.

Bella was taking this evening on with a 'why not?' kind of attitude. If she was going to do anything, wouldn't her best friend be the perfect person to try something new with? He wasn't going to hurt her or not call her again after tonight. She was determined to take this as far as he would let her. She moved her hips against him and was happy to feel that his body was on board at least.

Jake was trying to follow her signs. She was currently rocking against his dick and that seemed like a pretty good sign to him. She said she wasn't bothered by the age difference and  _ she _ was the one to make the comment about the age of consent. This could really be happening, right?

Any and all overthinking was put to a stop when Bella reached back and popped the clasp of her bra, sliding the straps down her shoulders. Jake pulled away from their kiss to appreciate the sight before him. Bella Swan straddling him on the couch. Topless.

He slid his hands up her sides and got a handful of the first pair of real boobs he'd ever seen. Giving one of her nipples a tug, she gasped and arched her back again, pushing her center harder into his erection. She liked that. Good to know.

He kissed down her chest and wrapped his lips around her perfect, bubblegum pink areola, sucking the whole thing into his mouth. He pulled back a little, biting down on the little peak and she squeaked. It must not have been a good noise because she yanked her torso back and slapped his chest.

"Jake! Less teeth on my titties please!" she chuckled so she must not have been actually upset, thank the gods. The brevity lightened the situation and they both relaxed a little. Bella gave his nipple a little tug in retribution and he laughed too. Bella thought Jake really did have a beautiful smile. 

Her lips were back on his with more passion this time. The interruption reminded them both that they could be comfortable with each other. They were both inexperienced and learning together. Their kisses became more heated and their hands more frantic. Hers were locked in his hair pulling him closer and his were back on her breasts. Her moans spurred him on and he got bold.

Pulling back again with a gasp of fresh air, he gave her belt loops a tug and asked, "Can I take these off?"

She climbed off his lap and, standing in front of him between his knees, wordlessly popped the button of her jeans, but paused with her hand on the zipper, "Only if you take yours off too."

Jake couldn't believe what was happening so he didn't stop to question it. He was a teenage boy and his hot best friend was apparently trying to get naked with him. Maybe even have sex with him! No arguments there.

He lifted his hips and pulled his jeans off. Getting them off his feet was awkward and he silently questioned how strippers take their pants off and make this part sexy. _Do those tear-away pants have_ _velcro or snaps?_ Ok seriously off topic here, _get your damn pants off._

Bella snickered, earning a playful glare from Jake, "You really shouldn't laugh when a guy takes his pants off, Bells. It's just rude."

"Well you shouldn't wear spongebob boxers on a date, Jacob Black."

She had a point but in his defense, "I was so not expecting to be taking my pants off on our first date, Bella Swan."

With hands on her hips, still standing in front of him in just her underwear she admonished, "are you seriously slut shaming me right now?"

"No no no no no, that was not at all what I -" he tried to save himself, but she just laughed.

"I'm just messing with you, Jake. I’m proclaiming you the slut here,” Bella chuckled, climbing back onto his Spongebob-clad lap. “Are you okay with this? I mean, I'm on the pill and I figured, who would be better to take my virginity?" She suggested with a shrug.

It was near impossible to think with such little fabric between his dick and an actual vagina. Jake stuttered, "Wow, I uhh.. Yes. Definitely, yes, I am okay with this." Well, that confirmed her intentions for this evening. Oh my gods, this was really about to happen.

"I didn't think you'd be opposed to the uhh… idea," Bella emphasized with a grind down against his erection. If she moved just right, the pressure on her clit felt fantastic.

Jake was done talking, he had business to attend to. He lifted her to the side to lay her down on the couch and settle between her legs. He was going to personally thank Charlie for having a spacious couch because there was no way he was taking the time to stop and relocate.

He kissed her neck and grinded himself against her center to demonstrate just how excited he was about her plan for the evening. He understood the logistics of sex, obviously, but he was nervous about actually doing it. He peeled her cute little matching navy blue undies down her legs. Her hair was trimmed and neat and he was a little embarrassed he never thought to do any manscaping. Still not as embarrassed as he was about having fucking Spongebob boxers on for the first time he was about to have sex.

He took the opportunity to get cartoon sea creatures out of the equation, shimmying out of his boxers and adding them to the pile of clothes on the floor. 

This was the first penis Bella had ever seen in real life and she was...unimpressed. It wasn't small but it wasn't as big as she thought someone of Jacob's stature would have. She was actually slightly relieved because she knew this was going to hurt and maybe it wouldn't be so bad if he was average-sized. She pulled him back down towards her, wrapping one hand around his neck and the other pushing some hair behind his ear to better see his face.

Leaning over Bella with one hand supporting his weight by her head and one on her thigh, he ducked his head to resume their heated kisses. He knew what a hymen was in theory but he had no idea what to expect. She was going to bleed, right? God, he had some complaints for the La Push High Sex Ed curriculum. He decided to start with a finger.

Slowly he brought his hand up her outer thigh rotating towards her apex to swipe down her entire slit with his thumb. He was working blind here so he rubbed his index finger around her folds until he found his target and slowly sunk a finger inside of her. He wanted to prepare her as much as possible, but right now his main concern in this fact finding mission was to determine exactly where her entrance was. He was paranoid that the moment would come and he wouldn’t know where to put his dick.

Bella enjoyed the feeling of his finger slowly moving in and out of her and groaned her appreciation. It wasn’t quite  _ good _ , but it felt better than her own fingers. She kissed along his jawline and down his neck when he paused kissing her back. He seemed very preoccupied with what his hand was doing so she allowed him to focus, hoping that meant he'd find her clitoris. He added a second finger and she didn't feel any pain yet, this was nothing she hadn't done to herself. Hoping to move this along a little she snaked a hand between their bodies and took a firm hold of his length.

"Oh shit, Bells," he panicked that he would embarrass himself by cumming before he even started. "Can I?"

She breathed out a "yes" and pushed his shoulders back giving him room to line himself up with her entrance. His worries of getting lost were unnecessary and he slowly slid into her heat. She tensed around him with a pinched look on her face and he waited. When her nails eased up on his biceps he took that as a good sign and began to move.

_ Holy shit _ this felt completely different than his hand. He had jacked off so many times to the dirty mags Quil had snuck into the garage, but this was so much better. He wasn't going to last.

Bella was thinking about the stretching burn between her legs. She brought her hands to his shoulders, not sure what to do with them while he moved above her. She tried to take the pained look off her face and thought about how she was going to have to disinfect Charlie's couch. Jake was making grunting noises and dripping an impressive amount of sweat down his face. He howled and made a face like he pulled a muscle, abruptly halting his motions. She was worried he legitimately hurt himself.

"Are you okay?"

"Fuck, I'm great. Did I hurt you?"  _ Oh, he was done.  _ He pulled out of her and sat back on his heels. She clamped her legs together, still worried about getting bodily fluids on her father's furniture.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Only hurt a little in the beginning," she quickly replied. Not wanting to hurt his feelings that it barely felt  _ good  _ either. She knew it wasn't going to feel good right away and maybe with practice and a discussion about what to do next time, it could be as mind blowing as everyone says sex could be. She didn't want to ruin his high so she smiled sweetly and got up, pulling her sweatshirt over her head as she walked to the bathroom. She brought him a damp washcloth for the small amount of blood she had seen on his softening member. Handing it to him, her smile faltered. He was shaking and looked like he was trying to mask his discomfort.

"Jake, you're shaking. Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, umm I'm fine," he stuttered while pulling his boxers back on, "I'm just gonna step out back for a second. I'm feeling a little warm. I just have a feeling like I need to be...outside..." 

Without waiting for a response, he took off out the back door into the yard. Bella watched him dart straight into the forest. She assumed what was happening, but she definitely did not expect him to phase right after they lost their virginities to each other. She knew deep emotion triggered the change but really? Now? She gathered their clothes and headed up to take a shower. She knew he wasn't coming back. So much for a normal life.

By the time Paul caught up to Embry, the warning howl had gotten the attention of Sam and Jared. The two other wolves raced towards their pack brothers, assessing the situation from what they could see through the pack mind. Sam knew Paul was the strategist so he let him take point on this one.

_ Paul, you've got a better eye on the situation, where did you want us? _ Normally an alpha wolf wouldn't be so quick to hand over the reigns but Sam wasn't meant to be Alpha. He was simply a placeholder until Jacob was ready and he could not wait for that day. Sam was a softy at heart and didn't have the personality to match the dominant traits required of an Alpha wolf.

_ She’s a talker and she's distracted. We'll turn her around so you're down wind and you can sneak up on her from behind. _

The three other wolves gave their wordless understanding and went to task. Embry and Paul circled around to get her to turn while she continued screeching.

"I'm gonna kill that little human bitch! She is the reason my James is dead!"

Paul did not care one bit who James was or what the redheaded tick was talking about. He was simply biding his time for his brothers to show up. Sam was closer but Jared wasn't far behind.

"You mutts can't stop me! I'm ruthless! And that little whore will pay for her sins in flesh. I will tear Bella Swan limb from li-"

Paul didn't give her a chance to finish. The second he heard his imprint's name on that corpse's lips, he lunged for the throat. Sam got there just in time to sink his teeth into her side as Paul ripped her head clean off.

_ Aww man, did I really miss all the action?  _ Jared was just approaching the two wolves ripping limbs off the stone cold body while a human Embry started a fire. Jared helped gather the pieces while Sam tried to calm Paul back down.

_ We got her, you can stop ripping the thing apart. You're only going to make the clean up job harder. _

_ My imprint. She was here for my imprint, Sam. _

_ We'll keep a close watch for any other vamps that might be traveling with her but this one is dead. Your imprint is safe. _

Embry phased back in to help sniff out any remaining granite chunks of flesh to be burned.  _ Damn, she was off her rocker. Can vamps go rabid? She was like a feral animal foaming at the mouth. _

It took longer than usual to burn the pieces thanks to Paul's overzealous dismemberment. The pack was still gathered when another voice entered the pack mind.

_ WOO HOO! Wait.. What the fuck? I have fucking paws?! _

Sam immediately snapped back to mother hen mode.  _ Jacob, everything is okay. We're coming to you to explain. Stay where you are. _

They could all see quite clearly through his memories what had caused him to phase. Of course Jacob  _ fucking _ Black would be the first wolf in history to phase from extreme happiness. Paul couldn't think about the imprint with Jacob in the pack mind thanks to the Alpha order, but he could without a doubt feel the fiery rage bubbling in his gut. The pup had just given the entire pack a panoramic, surround sound version of  _ his _ Bella in a way that Paul was positive she would not want to be shared.

Paul phased out immediately. He didn’t want to see one more second of Jacob’s memories. He felt disgusting for having seen her at all without her permission. Paul wasn’t known for his chivalry, but consent was never in question. He was just as disgusted with himself for his reaction to the images. He couldn’t help it, his imprint was hot as hell, but that didn’t make him hate himself or Jacob Black any less.

Of course he was furious at the knowledge of another man touching his imprint, but not for the possessive reasons another wolf may feel. Paul didn’t care about her virginity or prior experience. What kind of hypocritical asshole would he be? It was clear from the memory that she actually initiated that pathetic excuse for sex. He didn’t hold that against her or Jacob, even. There was no betrayal to be angry over because she didn’t know or understand their connection and neither did Jacob. Paul figured that because she was unclaimed, he still had a little influence over his wolf to rationalize. She was not his.  _ Yet. _

Paul had outright panicked when he imprinted on the future Alpha’s girl. It had been a purely selfish concern about his standing in the pack and his status with his new boss. That was under the assumption that Jacob and Bella had a stable, meaningful, and committed relationship. Watching them both this last week had proved Paul had a chance and spending time with her this afternoon had solidified his resolve. 

He could still feel the animal tearing at his insides. The beast wanted to run straight to Forks to kill Jacob slowly and then show Bella what he could make her feel instead. He could tell that she had received no pleasure from that amateur encounter. The wolf was  _ ecstatic _ that he would be the one to introduce her to the wonderland that her body could be and the pleasure he could give her. He wanted to see and experience every inch of her firsthand. He would earn that opportunity, if Bella let him into his life. In the meantime, he would plot.

While Sam explained the legends and the ins and outs of shape shifting to Baby Chief, Paul ran on two legs back to the Rez. Her next sexual experience would be  _ his _ and she would forget all about that dumb fucking boy that had fumbled through her first time.


	4. Chapter 4

On any other day, Bella could probably make the drive to the rez with a blindfold on. Not today. Today she had to put all of her focus on the road or her wandering mind was going to wander her truck right off the highway. 

She pulled up to Jake's house and parked next to the Rabbit’s empty spot out front. Jake didn’t exactly drive home last night, he was probably still out wolfing it up in the woods. She’d have to come up with an explanation for Charlie on why the car was still parked in front of their house, but that was a problem for Future-Bella. She had too much swimming through her brain to deal with that minor detail in the convoluted plot that has become her life. Was she really about to begin her second relationship with a mythical creature? Bella hoped Billy could answer some of her questions. 

She trudged through the slush of melting snow and kicked her boots off just inside the front door. The house was dark and cold and it was clear that nobody had been here for hours.  _ Crap. _ She forgot. Billy was out fishing. She had slept in this morning and made it here by 11am, but they probably were already on the water by 6.

She shrugged and headed to the kitchen to start a cup of coffee. There was no point in going back home just to come back later so she decided to wait. This little red house was her home away from home. She was more comfortable here in the Black's home than she ever was living with Renee. Moving back with her father to finish high school was the best decision she ever made.

She wandered into the living room with her cup of coffee and smiled at the pictures on the walls. Her favorite was one of her and Jake just after she had moved back. She made a point to reconnect with him once she was permanently back in Forks, but that didn’t exactly last. She was deeply embarrassed of how she neglected him when she got so tied up in Edward. Jake brought her out of her funk and they picked up right where they left off. They had gotten along their whole lives. Whenever she visited Charlie she would spend as much time as she could with the Black family and she always kept in touch with Jake throughout the school year.

That easy friendship was what she hoped for in their relationship. An awkward date at the diner wasn't a good start, but she wasn’t giving up just yet. She didn't regret sleeping with him. It was an experience she couldn't imagine sharing with someone else. Not because she was in love with him or because she found him irresistibly sexy, but because she was comfortable with him. They could have fun and be silly together and learn about each other's bodies, but that was it. She couldn't imagine fireworks with Jacob Black.

She got pulled out of her X-rated thoughts of who she'd  _ like _ to have fireworks with when she noticed a book on the shelf below the picture of her and Jake. ' _ Wolfpack Legends Histories of the Quileute Tribe'. _ Maybe she didn't have to wait for Billy to get home to find some answers after all. She pulled the book off the shelf and brought it back to the kitchen table with her cup of coffee.

Bella was positive Jake had transformed last night. She wanted to armor up with as much information as she could get her hands on. She wasn't sure how this was going to affect their friendship or relationship. Or if they would even be able to maintain a relationship after this. She was more worried about the whole wolf thing changing their friendship than sleeping together had. 

She flipped through the book and was appreciating the illustration on the first page of her favorite story "The Third Wife: Taha Aki's Imprint" when Charlie wheeled Billy in the front door. 

Charlie lit up like a christmas tree. "Hey there, Bells!" Despite living together, they really didn't see much of each other because they both preferred to keep to themselves. "I'm surprised to see you here, I thought maybe we'd cook up some fish at home tonight?"

"Yeah maybe, dad. I was hoping to catch Jake so I'll call and let you know if I'll be back for dinner."

"Feel free to invite him. It could be a date!" He elbowed her in the ribs with a wink.  _ Real subtle Charlie. _ "You too, Billy! If you're not sick of me yet today, you both could come on by. Just let me know. I gotta get his fish in the fridge, I'll see y'all later!" Charlie grabbed his cooler of fish and headed right back out the door, leaving Billy and Bella in the kitchen.

Billy was not surprised to come home to little Miss Curious waiting for him at the kitchen table. The second he rolled back onto the Rez, Sam had told him that his son had phased and of course Bella was involved. Sam didn't share any details about what Bella had to do with Jacob phasing, only that it wasn't an argument and the girl was unharmed. Guessing from the book of legends opened in front of her, Billy had an idea what she was here for.

"Doing some light reading, sweetheart?"

She met Billy Black's trusting eyes and the dam broke. She explained what had happened the night before with some serious editing. She told him all of her worries about Jake becoming a wolf and how it was going to change him. He was such a kind-hearted soul, she couldn't imagine him sharing a body with an animal. She was worried how this would change things between them. She wanted to date him because it seemed like the right choice to make. A safe choice. She knew their fathers would be happy.

Billy had to interject or she'd never stop her nervous rambling, "Sweetheart, don't date someone just because you think your father would approve." Billy knew about the imprint and faithfully believed in the wisdom of the spirits. They wouldn't choose wrong and he knew it, even if he never would have chosen Paul Lahote for this sweet girl. He couldn't outright discourage her relationship with Jake because that would be a complete 180 from how he had felt just a week ago. Billy figured Paul wouldn't wait too long to tell her and Jacob surely knew by now himself. He hoped she wasn’t too emotionally invested in this new relationship with his son. She would find out soon enough, but it wasn’t Billy’s place so he let her continue.

Bella wondered out loud if it was even possible to have a relationship with Jake now. She noticed the other wolf girls at the bonfire and had read terms such as "mated wolves" and knew about the Third Wife in the legends so she was curious about wolf relationships. Did they mate for life like wolves in the wild?  _ Damn that girl is too smart for her own good. _

Billy hesitated but chose to explain the basics, leaving the main part for Paul himself, "Bella honey, there's a specific way that a wolf finds their mate." Billy went on to explain the basic lines you'd read in any legend on the topic. He covered the standard 'gravity shifts' and 'center of their universe' and 'he'll be anything the imprint needs'. By the end of his speech Bella was glassy eyed and stunned silent, much like every new wolf getting the imprint talk. It was powerful magic from the spirits and Billy was glad Bella recognized the importance.

"Imprinting grounds the wolf and shows him his other half. The two are perfect for one another. There are various theories of the purpose of an imprint, but I think the imprint is to balance the wolf. Sharing a soul and a body with an animal does a lot to these boys. They're just boys being thrown into the responsibilities of men. The strength of body needs to be matched by strength of the mind. The wolf alone is a powerful force and the love of an imprint can help the man balance the wolf. Help him remember his humanity.”

“But they don’t have a choice,” Bella protested. “ _ Jake _ doesn’t have a choice.”

"Jacob cannot imprint, Bella. The documented histories indicate that the intended Alpha will not imprint so that their focus can be the pack and the tribe. If the imprint dies, the wolf will soon follow. It's an unbelievable pull between mated wolves and their claimed imprints. It could be distracting or even used against the Alpha in a time of war. Jacob can fall in love, get married, and have a family the old fashioned way, but he can't be held back by the type of distraction an imprint can be to the wolf."

"He can’t imprint on me then,” Bella thought out loud. She tried to imagine a bond like that, a relationship ordained by the spirits. Bella was actually disappointed that Jacob could not imprint. It sounded like a storybook romance come to life. Happily ever after guaranteed sounded beautiful. Because Jacob couldn't have that kind of bond as Alpha, she was even more determined to fall in love with him and be that other half.

Billy hadn’t planned on telling her this much. Billy didn’t want to be the one telling her any of this at all. Paul should be explaining all of this to her, but Billy didn’t want Bella to leave this conversation with a negative attitude towards imprinting. She’d find out about Paul’s imprint sooner than later. 

The Chief relaxed when he saw that his relief team was here. Through the window in the front door, he could see Paul and Jacob step onto the front porch. This was a conversation for them. Billy sent a quick prayer to the spirits, asking them to help Bella along the emotional rollercoaster this afternoon was turning into. 

Jake spent all night listening to Shape Shifter 101 from Sam. Patrol schedules. Pack mind. Vampires. Enhanced senses. Keeping the secret. The truth about  _ certain _ creepy ex-boyfriends of  _ certain _ best friends. By morning he could phase back to human and by noon he could phase back and forth at will. Sam was impressed, the kid was a natural.

He walked back home in his human skin, wearing nothing but a ratty pair of shorts Sam had given him from one of their hidey holes in a tree. Jacob wanted to walk home on two feet to really appreciate his new awareness of the world around him. The sights, sounds, and smells that he never would have noticed before were overwhelming. The world wasn't just in HD, it was reality times a million. He took the time to think as well. His whole life changed overnight. Everything that he knew was flipped upside down. 

Hell, even the remaining human aspects of his life changed last night too. Bells was always the constant anchor in his life that he could count on and now he wasn’t sure where he stood with her either.

_ Holy Shit, _ he had sex with Bella Swan last night. He could still date Bells after what Sam told him about imprinting. It would never happen to him. She was the easy choice. It would be a comfortable relationship. She seemed a little awkward after last night and he wondered if it was any good for her. He could make it good for her, they just needed practice. With practice they could find some passion. They could be two halves of a whole. He just wanted what Sam and Emily had, but he didn’t have the guiding hand of an imprint. He would have to create his own destiny and that could be Bella.

Right now his priority was to get home, get some sleep, and eat anything he could get his hands on. He followed the trail out of the trees to the little red house he had lived in for his entire life. Jake thought that this house might be the only thing that hadn’t changed after last night. But even the comfortable familiarity of home was blemished with a werewolf sitting on his front step.

Paul had been the only wolf not with them last night. Jared and Embry ran the border while Sam coached him. Paul was mentioned briefly when Sam told the story of how the pack formed, but Jake could tell there was some major information missing. It was as if the second Paul was mentioned, the other wolves went radio silent. Sam brushed off Jacob’s curiosity and dismissed the topic saying that Paul would have to talk to Jacob himself. 

The newest wolf guessed this was about to be that conversation and Jake hated that he was going in blind. He had no clue what this could even be about, but it felt ominous. Paul had a reputation around the Rez for fighting and being a total whore. Sam’s only comment on the impending conversation was for Jake to keep an open mind and remember that Paul was actually a good guy. Jake would judge that for himself.

Paul stepped off the porch and looked about as uncomfortable as Jake felt.

"Jacob," Paul dipped his head in greeting. "I heard you coming so I waited before I went in to talk to the Chief and uhh..."

"Is Bella here? That's her truck." He didn’t like the idea of Paul being anywhere near Bella, but Jake was just happy to see her again. "You guys can just call me Jake, y'know. Only my dad calls me Jacob." Paul was shifting his weight from foot to foot looking about as uncomfortable as Jake felt. "What's this about, man? Sam was real vague last night and I just want to eat and sleep."

"Let's talk inside," the older wolf suggested. Of course Paul had already known that truck was Bella's. He'd been stalking her for a week, including her trips to and from school and around town in the monstrosity. Paul needed to get her a safer car. He'd been sitting on the porch for a while, watching her vehicle slowly get covered in a light layer of snow and basking in the sound of her heartbeat. She was just on the other side of the thin walls of the old home. He soaked in her scent of strawberries and vanilla. He wished Jacob would have walked slower so he could sit on this porch all day and know she was right here. Safe and sound.

Jake led the way into the house, smiling ear to ear at the sight of Bells in his kitchen. What a sight for sore eyes. If she was here, they must still be okay. He felt terrible for running out like that last night. He was supposed to keep the secret, but he couldn’t imagine keeping something like this from her.

Bella visibly flinched when Paul walked in the door behind him. Jacob looked between them, wondering what that was all about. He knew Paul had a reputation, but he couldn’t think of a reason she’d be afraid of the guy. If he was here to talk about the pack, Bella needed to leave anyway. If he made her uncomfortable, even better reason to get her out of here. 

"Hey Bells, I figured you'd be home cooking up whatever Charlie caught today," Jake struggled to sound nonchalant. He was never much of a liar, and he could never get away with lying to Bella.

"Not yet. I wasn't sure if I'd see you today,” Bella said with a glance down his body, noting the caked on dirt, leaves in his hair, and about 40 pounds of additional muscle. Yeah, she could say Jake looked better, but he still had nothing on the Adonis awkwardly loitering in the doorway behind him. It took every ounce of willpower to keep her eyes from Paul’s equally bare form. Weren’t they cold? 

“You and the Chief are invited to dinner at our house if you can?" Bella continued. She tried not to laugh at Jake’s attempt to look casual, but even if she didn’t already know his secret, she would be able to tell he was hiding something.

"Sure! Did you need to go get started on that?" Jake suggested with a hand gesturing her out the door. Jake was obviously trying to get rid of her and he was being really weird about it so Paul decided to cut the charade.

"Actually, she needs to be here too, this is about her." All eyes but Billy’s jerked to Paul in confusion. Bella was frozen in place when she met his stare dead on.

"I imprinted on you."

…

" _ Really? _ " Bella and Jacob said in unison.

There were a million questions running through Jake’s already dead-tired brain. This was the secret the pack was trying to keep from him last night? He looked between Paul and Bella like he’d find a sparkly magic cord tying them together. That’s when Jake noted the lack of confusion on her features. Jake had a startling realization, "Bells, how do you know what imprinting is?"

Maintaining the heady eye-contact with Paul, she explained absentmindedly to Jake in a far off voice, "It's part of the legends. It sounded like it was supposed to be rare, but that makes three out of five."

Attempting to keep up the ruse, Jacob forced a chuckle, "The legends are just stories told around the bonfire, honey."

Her hands were on her hips in an instant, snapping her attention and ire towards her best friend, "Jacob Black, do you think I'm an idiot? I’m sure you know by now that I dated a vampire. Why would only half of the legend be true?"

Paul did not like the mounting tension in the very small room between his human imprint and a brand new shape shifter. He mentally ran through scenarios of how he’d get her out of here if Baby Chief popped a gasket. He inched a step closer to being between the two, just in case.  _ Sorry Billy, you’re on your own. _

Jake just stood there with his mouth open and his brain melting out of his ears. At least that’s what it felt like. It would take him a week to catch up with everything that happened in the last twelve hours.

Bella stated matter-of-factly like she was giving a history lesson, "Edward signed the treaty 70 years ago with your great-grandfather, Ephraim. I knew there was a pack again and I knew it was in your blood. The signs are hard to miss if you know what you're looking for."

Paul puffed out his chest theatrically and winked at Billy, "My imprint is a smart cookie."

"Slow your roll, Lahote, are you sure you imprinted?" Jake asked, holding on to one last slimmer of hope. 

"Of course I'm sure,” Paul asserted. He was sure about the imprint, but was majorly confused by the pup’s defeated tone. “I'm just surprised to be alive this far into the conversation. Aren’t you two together? I was expecting my head to be detached from my shoulders by now." 

_ And what fine shoulders they are  _ Bella couldn't help daydreaming. Everytime she got lost in Paul’s eyes it was like her head filled up with a fog of lust and stupid. 

"You two seemed relieved, not pissed. I was prepared for pissed," Paul admitted. He still couldn’t let go of the cagey tension in his muscles, prepared to fight Jacob or rescue Bella from him at any second.

Bella and Jacob looked at each other and had an entire conversation with their eyes. Understanding the gravity of an imprint. Sadness at the loss of what they both hoped they could have. Worry for their friendship lasting through this. Hope because they both knew it would. And finally, acceptance.

Bella smiled up at her best friend, took his hand, and spoke for them both. "I think we both know this relationship is better off platonic. It seemed like the safe choice. Charlie and Billy pushed for us to get together since we were kids and it just felt like…"

"Like it's what we were supposed to do," Jake finished for her. It felt like a weight was lifted off his chest. She would be happy, even if it was with  _ Paul.  _ "After learning that I can't imprint, I'm jealous more than anything. But I'm happy that you can have that kind of happiness handed to you on a silver platter. The spirits must see something I don't because I have no clue how  _ that _ is your other half." He flicked his eyes to Paul with a chuckle and continued. "I knew a relationship with you would be comfortable, but I think I see you more as a sister, Bells."

Paul let out a snort, "I hope you don't get freaky like that with all your sisters."

Billy spoke up from the corner where he had been forgotten, "And that's my cue to leave!" He rolled toward the front door with a wave. "I'm going next door to Harry's. I’m glad this conversation happened without claws." Bella thought if her blush got any deeper red she would actually become a tomato.

Jacob cut through the tension in the room, "I need to eat everything in this kitchen and get some sleep and you two have a lot to talk about. We’ll catch up later, Bells.” He pulled Bella in for one of his signature bone crushing hugs and offered a handshake to his pack brother. “For what it's worth Paul, I'm sorry for last night. I don't know how you haven't killed me yet." 

"I don't know either, Black, but I think it's because the imprint isn't...sealed," he nervously glanced at Bella hoping to gauge her reaction to the concept. "And I don't think my wolf saw you as a rival as a human. Obviously now that you've phased, I'll rip your fucking legs off if I catch you reminiscing." That last bit was so low it came out as only a percolating growl to Bella's human ears. 

Paul held his hand out, excitedly awaiting the zap of skin to skin contact. "Come on, Princess. I've got some 'splainin to do."

She looked back to Jake. Their relationship was over about as fast as it started, but their friendship would survive. "We'll be okay, Jake."

"Yeah we will," he smiled at her. "But we still have a lot to talk about, so don't forget about little old me."

"Never, Jacob Black." And she took Paul's hand, following him out the door to whatever happened next…

"WAIT!"

They made it just a few steps down the gravel driveway when Jake burst out the front door with an apologetic look on his face, "Sorry to ruin your dramatic exit guys, but Sam just called a pack meeting. Bella, you gotta come too."

That's how she found herself on Sam Uley's front porch, hesitating when Paul pulled her hand to drag her inside. She wouldn't have actually been able to put up a fight, but he felt her resistance and stepped back to face her again.

"What is it, Princess?" 

"Umm I suddenly remembered something I've got to do.. Uhhh what about Charlie? Gotta go make him some dinner. Can't leave him to fend for himself, can we?"

Jake, with what sounded like a mouth full of food, yelled from inside, "Quit stalling, Bells. Billy already called him saying you won't be home."

She was very nervous to be in a room full of wolves. Perhaps she hung onto some of the prejudices Edward passed on to her about the Quileute shifters. She tried to rationalize that they wouldn't hurt her, Jake was one after all, but her feet weren't listening to logic.

Paul smoothed her hair behind her ear and lifted her chin to meet her eye to eye. "Hey, hey, hey," he crooned, "I can feel you panicking from here. You're fine. You aren't a bloodsucker so you have nothing to worry about."

"They don't hate me? I was friends with them."

Paul hesitated. He had been the only one that really had a problem with her when she was dating Edward. Paul thought she had been an idiot for dating a leech and a melodramatic brat for the way she reacted when the leech left. Of course, that was before he understood the effects of thrall and before the rose-colored glasses that came with an imprint. But he couldn't lie to her, not completely.

"Nobody hates you anymore."

"ANYMORE?" she whisper-yelled at him.

Jake stepped out the front door and immediately recognized the stubborn stance and the determination in Bella’s crinked brow. Without a word or a bit of effort, he hoisted Bella over his shoulder, walked inside right back past a growling Paul and dropped Bella on the couch.

"You were taking too long and we can all hear what you're saying anyway," he said with a tap to his supernatural ear. Jake took the spot next to her, but seemed to think twice about putting his arm around her.

Bella grumbled, but didn’t seem genuinely mad at Jake, so Paul wasn’t going to be either. He was going to have to get used to the Baby Chief being so touchy with his imprint, but that just seemed like the nature of their relationship. If Bella was okay with it, Paul would just have to accept it. Or murder Jake and hide the body in the woods. The second option was becoming more and more appealing everytime Paul caught the remaining scent of Jacob from Bella’s skin. 

Paul had heard Sam and Jared’s thoughts enough to know that his own imprint was different. He would have expected to be a lot less comfortable with Jake, but for reasons unknown, Paul’s wolf was… calm. Uncharacteristically calm. Maybe the beast was just content with Bella’s proximity. Maybe his wolf knew that Jake and Bella were friends and she needed her friend. The imperative to give her anything she needed was so ingrained into every instinct of the wolf. It was the only explanation he could think of. 

Clearly Paul wasn't the only wolf that thought it was unbelievable that he hadn’t ripped Jake’s arms off yet. Jared, Embry, and Sam all watched Paul in shock, just waiting for their usually hot-tempered packmate to pounce on the newest wolf. Instead, Paul shrugged and started to inhale the plate of food Emily passed to him.

"I can't explain it either guys. I'll let you know when I figure it out," Paul tried to explain in a voice low enough for the girls not to hear. That's when Paul noticed the third imprint passing out plates. She was so boring, he thought she blended right into the wallpaper. It was unusual for Kim to come to any pack gathering, even if Emily could use the help. Kim was shy, quiet and terrified of the other shifters. Paul specifically because he used to make it a game to scare a yelp out of Kim any chance he got. Now that he had imprinted too, he couldn’t believe Jared hadn’t decked him for messing with her. 

Sam cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the group back to the task at hand, “The purpose of this meeting is to find out everything we can about the redheaded leech that knew Bella by name. Something had to happen for her to try and come back for revenge. Bella?” 

Every pair of eyes in the room pinned Bella to the couch. She was frozen in place. Sam could have warned her this was going to be a public speaking gig. She needed to mentally prepare to talk in front of a room of mostly strangers, especially about such a traumatic event! Bella didn’t even know Victoria was coming after her. Obviously she was out there somewhere, but why wouldn’t the Cullen’s have handled that? That seemed like a big freaking loose end.

Paul gently massaged her shoulders from where he stood behind her on the couch. Bella relaxed instantly under his touch. She could do this. She told the story, starting with vamps playing baseball, being tracked to Arizona, and ending with the ballet studio. Paul’s grip tightened almost uncomfortably when she pulled up her sleeve and showed the room the icy scar on her wrist.

The collective gasp of everyone in the room startled Bella back from the memories. She was so lost in the retelling that she had almost forgotten that there was a room full of people listening. She paused to let them come over one at a time to feel the cold scar on her wrist. It reminded her of something she had read online about wolves last night after Jake left. Lupine instinct was centered around touch. The pack themselves didn’t fully understand or acknowledge it, but that was exactly what was happening. Affirming through touch that their new packmate was indeed safe.

Bella continued, warning them about Laurent, the last of the trio who was supposedly up in Alaska learning how to be a vampy vegetarian. She let out a sigh of relief thinking she was done talking.

"What do you mean, tracking abilities? Is that not something all vamps can do?" Sam was thinking through the tactical aspects of the new information and how it would affect his pack. Always the Alpha.

Paul was beaming with pride. His imprint was strong, a survivor. She was helping the pack and she had knowledge that would be a tactical advantage. He was staring at her like the sun shone out of her eyes and it was very unlike the Paul that the pack was used to.

Embry wasn’t the first to notice, but the only one who dared to comment. He quipped, "Geez it looks like Paul's gone soft. Another man lost to an imprint."

Before Embry could blink, Paul had chucked the TV remote, hitting the pup square in the forehead without taking his eyes off Bella.

Jake cracked up, "Wow Embry, you're so jealous of their imprint that you couldn’t even dodge that."

"I'm not jealous, fucker, I just -"

"Mongrels, let her talk!" Sam interrupted.

It wasn’t an order, but the room fell silent just the same. Jake had to nudge Bella to remind her that she was the one that was actually supposed to be speaking. 

“Uh- yeah,” she hedged, “Alice could see visions of the future, Jasper could feel and manipulate emotions, and uh- Edward could read minds. Well, except mine. Carlisle thought I’d be a shield when I got turned.”

Paul lost it. “ _ When  _ you got turned?!” 

The thought of Bella becoming a reanimated corpse made Paul’s skin crawl. He repeated “When?!”, but it was more growl than words by the time he lunged for the backdoor and puffed into fur.

"Well, there's the Paul we all love to hate," Embry joked. "How did imagining you as a leech make him phase but, he was fine seeing you and Jake fu-"

Jake had Embry a foot off the ground by his neck before he could finish his sentence.

"You will  _ not _ disrespect her like that," Jake growled through his teeth. "You're lucky Paul was already out of hearing range or we'd find your carcass in the woods."

Bella couldn't care less about the slight to her honor, because her focus was on a completely different aspect of that statement.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN  _ 'SEEING' _ ?!"

"Did nobody tell her about the pack mind?" Sam asked with an eye roll.  _ Amateurs _ . That is  _ not _ how Bella should have discovered the extent of the shared thoughts.

Too much was happening all at once. Bella looked like a deer caught in the headlights of an 18-wheeler. Emily was trying to reassure her that the concept of the pack mind wasn't so bad and that she’d get used to it even though Bella still didn’t know what it was. Jake was still threatening Embry with bodily harm. Jared was standing in front of Kim growling at the wolf confrontation that was happening too close to his imprint. Kim was trying to look around Jared to tell Bella that Paul would be right back, he just needed to run it off. Sam was whistling out back trying to get Paul to come back and talk to his girl. This meeting had gotten out of hand real quick.

Bella was completely overwrought. Tears slowly leaked down her cheeks from the overwhelm of how much had happened in the past 24 hours. She had effectively begun and ended her relationship with Jake, lost her virginity, was told she had a predetermined soulmate, met a pack of wolves, and now finding out her most personal moments were on display for a group of overgrown puppies?  _ Fuck.  _ Bella hated that she was crying. It was just too much for any person to reasonably handle without a tear or two! Everyone talking over each other wasn’t helping her composure.

"Paul should be the one to tell her all this stuff, why hasn't Paul told her anything?" Emily demanded Sam.

Jake was trying to apologize on her right, Embry was yelling at Jacob on her left.

"EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP," Sam boomed from the back door. The alpha command cut through the room like a lightsaber through a stick of butter. Everyone froze. And all of the wolves heard what Sam was hearing. A wolf's pained cry and the warning howl from Paul.

"What's happening now?" Kim was feeling extremely out of the loop still stuck behind Jared.

Paul came barreling in the back door with jean shorts barely pulled over his hips. The fly hung open revealing where his happy trail ended and his coarse black hair began. Bella's eyes were brought up to his face when he spoke in that lushious baritone that felt like it rolled over her body in waves. When her mushy brain was able to process the actual words he spoke, she was snapped back to reality.

"Quil phased."

Embry was the first out the door, pushing Paul aside and bursting out of his clothes into his black and grey patched wolf before any of the other wolves could even process the severity of the situation.

Sam looked exhausted, "Something serious must have happened, I wasn't expecting him to phase for at least another week. Girls, stay here please." Sam was out the door a second after kissing Emily goodbye, followed by Jared.

Paul crossed the room back to Bella when he saw the tracks of her tears. He kneeled down in front of her, took her face in his hands and kissed a tear off her cheek.

"We gotta go, Princess. I'm sorry this is how this went down. I should have given you more time before subjecting you to these morons. And I’m really sorry to leave you like this, but I'll be back as soon as we get the situation under control. Something had to happen to make him phase so early and we’ve got to make sure it wasn’t a leech." Paul stood up and nodded to Jake, "C'mon let's go see what happened to your boy."

Jake stood up from the couch and reached for the button of his pants. With a squeak, Bella slapped her hands over her eyes a second too late.

"Come on Bells, don't be shy. It's nothing you haven't seen before. And just like everything else, it got bigger with the phase. Wayyy bigger." Paul's fist wiped the smirk right off the youngest wolf’s face.

"I warned you, pup. Next time I'm ripping that dick off that you've got no right to be proud of," Paul threatened the wolf now sprawled on the ground. In the same breath Paul leaned down with mercurial sweetness and whispered “Be right back,” with a kiss to her cheek.

Finding her breath through the butterflies from Paul's proximity, Bella whispered, "At least it's closer to being proportional to the rest of him now."

"Fuck you, Bells. I still heard that!" Jake yelled on his way out the door.

"Truth hurts doesn't it,  _ Baby _ Chief," Paul jeered, shoving Jake off the back porch onto the lawn. Hoping Bella was still watching, Paul dropped his shorts and phased into his sleek silver wolf in one fluid, practiced motion. Bella wished he had at least waited for the shorts to hit the deck before phasing.

"You've got a little drool there, Bella," Emily joked pointing to her own chin.

_ I thought he wasn't supposed to phase for like another week?  _ Jared asked.

Paul watched the scene through the pack mind while he raced through the forest to catch up with the other wolves. The town of La Push was built along the coast between the beach and the dense forest. This meant that almost all of the houses backed up to the trees, allowing a sort of wolfy highway. Being one of the oldest families, the Ateara’s had a plot of land in the more populated part of town. This meant the backyard still met with the forest, but they had neighbors on either side. Sam would coach him through what was happening as soon as they weren’t at risk of exposure.

_ Quil, you gotta come into the trees so you're out of sight. People can't see you like that. _

When the giant chocolate wolf didn't cooperate, Sam Alpha ordered him. He didn't like taking away anyone's self-autonomy, but sometimes it was necessary. Quil inched with his belly dragging on the ground towards the rest of the pack hidden in the shadows.

Embry lunged forward to get to his friend, but Sam stopped him by the tail and jerked him back out of the way. Jared pinned the unruly wolf to the ground with his teeth in Embry’s scruff. Embry whined and squirmed against Jared’s hold. Everyone in the pack mind could hear his pain, but the only coherent thought was the  _ need _ to get to Quil.

They could all hear Quil's mind. He was so overwhelmed that he wasn't thinking in words, just emotions and pictures through a fog of panic. Being in the pack mind with them all together was like seeing everything in double except it was times six. From his own eyes he could see his chocolate brown paws up close.  _ Paws. _ Quil clenched his eyes shut, hoping for darkness, but instead he could see himself in five other different perspectives. He just knew one of these wolves was Embry. He could hear the flavor of his thoughts and the sound of that one mental voice calling his name was the only thing calming Quil down. 

Quil continued shuffling forward until he was in the cover of the trees. There were too many voices in his head. Too many smells and sounds and sensations, so he kept his eyes locked shut. Sam tried to soothe the newest wolf. 

_ You are safe. We are your pack, your brothers. We will help you through this. _

Quil's regained enough composure to form coherent thoughts. He didn't yet understand the pack mind and without making any attempt to control his memories, the whole pack could see what caused him to phase.

_ Quil's grandfather was yelling and purple in the face, "You are a disgrace to this tribe, to your family name. An abomination! You will be normal or you will leave this reservation. You hear me boy? The Ateara name will not be blackened by your actions and you will be normal!" _

_ Joy, Quil's mother, was sobbing trying to get to her son, but Old Quil was blocking her. _

" _ Do not comfort him, woman. He is no grandson of mine and a shame to the memory of his father. And to think this filth was under my own roof." Old Quil threw down a gay porno magazine at Quil's feet and shoved him back with the end of his cane in the middle of his grandson's chest. _

He had phased right in the living room after that. Old Quil should have been proud that his grandson was a protector of the tribe. It was a true honor and a trait of utmost respect, but instead all he felt towards his grandson was revulsion. Joy had screamed and Quil managed to make it into the backyard with minimal damage to the door frame. The pack could still clearly hear them arguing from the backyard. Joy tried to defend her son against the onslaught of disgust and bigotry from the old man.

Embry was whining so loud it hurt their ears and he struggled against Jared's jaws so fiercely that he drew his own blood. Embry’s pain was only adding to Quil's anguish and Sam needed anything riling up the new wolf to stop.

_ Embry, calm down and stay still!  _ The tenor of the Alpha order shook through the pack mind like the aftershocks of a bomb. The wolves were all knocked back a step, giving Embry the opportunity to shake off Jared. He leaped forward to Quil who was still crouched on his belly on the forest floor, eyed clenched to the outside world. Embry licked over his muzzle, his brow, over his closed eyes, trying to encourage them open.

The four other wolves watched on, still confused, as Quil calmed under his friend’s touch. Embry's whimpers turned into a low purr. Quil relaxed and slowly raised off the ground to rub his muzzle against the continuous licks.

Sam was frozen in place. He had no idea what was happening or how Embry ignored his order. He didn't understand until the chocolate brown wolf had calmed down enough to look up to his friend and met his eyes.

They all knew an Alpha order could not override an imprint.

Revised 9/11/2020


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Emily and Kim knew what that howl usually meant. Every wolf was needed, usually to take down a vampire that had made the mistake of wandering too close to their little corner of the world. It may have been traumatic for Quil, but the girls were relieved. Well, not Bella. She still sat on the couch, staring at nothing while her mind tried to catch up. Emily wanted to help ease Bella’s way into the life of a wolfpack groupie, but Kim beat her to the punch.

"So you and Jake are like just friends now? Is it just because of the imprint? I thought you slept together?"

"Kim! Shut up!" Emily admonished her friend's less than gentle approach to the subject. "I'm sorry, Bella, the lack of privacy is a really unfortunate aspect of being part of the pack. But it's essentially the only downside."

Bella instantly liked Emily. She was clearly the matron of the pack and Bella just knew she could trust her. She just had one of those genuine faces, despite the scars down her cheek. Kim had some growing up to do, but she was just a teenager. Bella wouldn't hold it against her.

"Umm yeah, I guess they told you," Bella watched her hands fiddle with the hem of Jake's sweatshirt. "We tried to date, but we were both kind of forcing the issue. We've always gotten along great, I've never had a better friend. I thought a relationship was the next obvious step, but it was so weird."

Kim already forgot Emily's warning to be gentle, "And the sex? How was the sex? He wasn't a wolf yet though so it probably wasn-"

"Kimberly!" Emily cut her off before she could embarrass Bella further.

Bella was bright red but she mumbled, "I mean, he was a virgin too so my expectations were pretty low.." Bella trailed off. 

"That bad, huh?" Kim continued, ignoring Emily's glare.

"Oh god, don't tell the guys. Jake would be so embarrassed." Bella hid her face behind her hands. She was unprepared for how easy it was to open up to these girls, but she didn’t have to think long to know why. For the first time she had no secrets. They knew about the supernatural world that Bella had been left alone in since the Cullens disappeared. These girls had firsthand experience of what it was like to be part of the pack and  _ intimately _ involved with one of the wolves. This was her opportunity to get the inside scoop.

"What's it like being an imprint?" Bella asked, clearing her voice to push past her own insecurities. Both girls’ eyes glazed over in an instant.

"It's wonderful," Kim said wistfully. "I've been in love with Jared since kindergarten, so when he imprinted on me I was over the moon."

Emily didn't want Bella getting swept away by the fairy tale mumbo jumbo that was Jared and Kim's imprint story.

"My imprint wasn't so magical at first," Emily explained. She told the whole story. Sam phasing alone, trying to make it work with Leah once he could phase back, proposing, imprinting on Leah's cousin when she came to town to plan the wedding, the fight that led to her scars, and finally, accepting the imprint.

"Sam still feels the guilt, but I forgave him the day I accepted the imprint. We're happy now, but it was a long road to get there," she said with a gesture to her face.

"How do you accept the imprint?" Bella thought maybe there was a tribal ceremony or a prayer to the spirits. She was not expecting Kim's enthusiastic answer.

"Sex, girl! Delicious, mind-blowing, magical lovin'!"

"Bella, I'm sorry for Kim's lack of brain-to-mouth filter, but she's not wrong. The first time you sleep together the connection solidifies. You can feel each other's emotions if they're strong enough and I'd never be as crass as Kim but it is pretty.."

"Fucking earth-shattering," Kim supplied with a smile.

Bella was going to be permanently flushed after today. She just slept with Jake  _ yesterday _ and she was already daydreaming about all the things she could do with Paul. And if he was half the man-whore everyone said he was, he probably knew some pretty inventive ways to do it. 

"Aren't you skeeved out by all the girls Paul has been with before?" Kim asked, suddenly serious.

Bella thought about it for a minute to really contemplate how she felt on the subject. She didn't know Paul very well yet but she trusted the spirits. He was supposedly her other half, so apparently she needed Paul and Paul needed her. She was ready to jump in with both feet.

"Ya know, not really. I've only dated a manipulative, eternal prick and then I had a mediocre one night stand with my best friend. Paul's never really dated anyone. If he can look past me dating a vampire and sleeping with his pack brother, I can look past his questionable choices as well. Maybe we're going to teach each other how to have a functional relationship? And I know nothing about sex, so who better to learn from than an expert?" Bella shrugged unashamedly, despite the blush on her cheeks.

"That's some female empowerment shit right there, girl. I hope Paul appreciates you," Kim nodded. Bella was filled with pride to be a 'wolf girl'. She got to keep her best friend without any more secrets, but most of all, she was getting a whole new community. A family.

Emily was very impressed with Bella Swan. The spirits knew what they were doing picking this girl for Paul because he needed a woman that would keep him in line. The whole pack could already see how finding his imprint had cooled his temper. None of them were expecting Jacob Black to survive the night after they saw his memories when he first phased, but Paul surprised them all by reacting with logic and reason. Bella needed her best friend and neither of them knew of the imprint when they slept together. So Paul let him live. He tore up about an acre of trees and broke nearly all of his knuckles destroying a boulder, but he didn't lay a finger on the pup. If that's not maturity, what is?

Quil had no practice controlling his thoughts. Every passing idea and emotion was on full broadcast. With time, the wolves could learn to hide the things they wanted to keep to themselves by not putting the thoughts into actual words. It was harder to pick up specifics from just emotions and instinct.

The pain of being rejected by his grandfather had been pushed to the back of his mind momentarily by the sheer magnitude of what it meant to be a wolf, learning all the legends were true, and finding his soulmate in his best friend in less than a half hour period. He was overwhelmed with relief that his secret crush was reciprocated. And that's why it was so hard to be phased in right now. The pack mind was a non-stop monologue in max volume.

_ OH MY SPIRITS, EMBRY IS HERE. IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW. HOLY SHIT HE GOT SO SEXY A FEW MONTHS AGO AND IT'S BECAUSE HE BECAME A WEREWOLF. I'M A WOLF NOW TOO! I HOPE I GET RIPPED LIKE THAT. WILL EMBRY LIKE MY NEW BODY? _

If Embry could blush in this form he would. He definitely had liked Quil's body before and he was trying not to think about what phasing would do to his physique. Embry thought he was going to be downright lickable.

_ Shit, don't think about that now. Quil! Quil, please calm down. Everyone can hear your thoughts and it's making it really hard to control my own. Try to focus, babe. _

_ BABE! EMBRY CALLED ME BABE. THERE'S NO WAY THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING. I'VE MISSED HIM SO MUCH AND NOW WE'RE BOTH FUCKING WEREWOLVES AND HE CALLED ME BABE. _

Paul chuckled into the pack mind,  _ I love that he's more freaked out about Embry actually liking him back than becoming a giant furball. _

Paul took the new imprint best. He was quite comfortable with his sexuality and wasn't bothered by it in the slightest. He could have sworn Embry had checked his ass out and now he was going to rub it in the little punk’s face. Paul knew he had a great ass.

Jake didn't know how to feel. These two were his best friends since they were in diapers. He had suspicions about Quil, but Embry being gay had come out of left field. Why hadn’t they told him? Didn’t they trust him? He wanted to be happy for them, he really did, but his conflicting emotions weren’t about their homosexuality. They had an imprint and once again, the jealousy resonated deep through his being. He wanted that kind of love, but for now he had to push his selfish thoughts to the background. Jake wanted to be happy for his best friends and support them however he could. 

Jared was painfully failing to hide his distaste for the couple. His parents were very religious and vocally against "the gays" as they called them. Jared didn't carry the same religious reasons, but it was hard to fight the reflex reaction that had been pounded in his head for years. It just made him uncomfortable. Embry could feel Jared's internal struggle and sent him a mental  _ thank you _ for trying to overcome his learned prejudices. 

Sam was worried. He knew it would be hard for a homosexual couple in such a small, conservative community and Jared’s  _ poorly veiled  _ train of thought only confirmed that. He was also suddenly very aware of how often he was in the buff around the other wolves. For a big scary werewolf, he was very shy. 

He needed to get this situation under control before it spiraled any further. The Alpha hoped all of these overlapping thoughts swarming in the pack mind were too muddled and chaotic for the new pup to understand. He deserved some peace and quiet with his mate and the pack did not need to stay tuned into the love fest that was blasting over pack radio.

Sam offered to run patrols for the day because he could block out Quil’s uncontrolled monologue the best. Sharing headspace with the newly imprinted pair was going to be draining for whoever had to listen. He directed the rest of the pack to head back to the girls. Sam was worried about the human members of his pack as well.

Paul and Jared were happy to get back to their imprints. Jake didn’t want to acknowledge his jealousy, so he peeled off from the group to go check on his dad. He felt guilty that he hadn’t been there to help him like he usually was.

Bella was disappointed that Paul's cutoffs were buttoned up when he sauntered in the back door. Her face must have plainly displayed her disappointment because Paul smirked and gestured up to his face.

"My eyes are up here, y'know."

Bella expected a blush to take over her face, but a rush of newfound confidence from her conversation with the girls allowed her to quip back, "Speak of the devil and he shall appear." Paul gave her a wink and sunk into the couch beside her, draping a casual arm over her shoulders.

Emily peaked out the backdoor, scanning the treeline for Sam. Jared was busy trying to suck Kim's lips off her face so Paul explained, "he's running patrol while Quil and Embry finish giving each other a tongue bath."

That caught Kim's attention. She pushed Jared off of her, "Wait, what?"

Paul explained the disastrous first phase, the imprint, and how they've both been harbouring crushes for years. The girls chorused an "aww" before Emily and Kim began plotting how to get Old Quil to see the light. His outdated thinking was only going to permanently damage his relationship with his grandson and the rest of the wolves. Maybe if they explained the imprint, Old Quil would come around. He couldn't argue with the wisdom of the spirits. If the legends were to be believed wholeheartedly then Quil and Embry were made for each other and chosen by the spirits themselves. Paul left the Old Quil enlightenment campaign to those two and focused on the girl under his arm.

"Hey there, Princess. You doin' okay?" He brushed her hair behind her ears and was once again taken aback by how beautiful she was.

"Better. I'm sorry I freaked out like that. So much has happened and I just got overwhelmed. Emily and Kim told me about their experiences with the imprint and it sounds pretty awesome once you get over the pack mind part."

"You don't have to apologize," he led her out of the living room and with a wave to the others they walked out the front door. "I should be the one telling you all this. I want us to get to know each other for ourselves, not just what we hear from everyone else. I'm sure Jake had some choice words about me. I don't exactly have a great reputation around these parts and I was a bit of an ass to the younger guys in school."

"I know to take anything Jake says about you with a grain of salt. I'd like to get to know you myself. Apparently we were made for each other," she quipped, looking up at him with a bright smile that reached her eyes.

"It's not all sunshine and fucking roses from here, Princess. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled that you are on board so quickly, but it's not instant happiness." Paul was taking her down the road towards his house that was only a few doors down. The rez was a tiny place so everyone pretty much lived within walking distance. He had no idea where this conversation was going but he was hoping she'd let him cook her dinner and stay for a while.

"It sounds like you know a lot about imprinting. Is that why you were so okay with the idea? They must have made it sound really awesome for you to change your mind the first time you hear the 'i' word."

She immediately began to panic again, "Ohhh no, I must seem so fickle! I was just with Jake and now I - I'm not usually like this. It just seemed like such a romantic notion. Soulmates, I mean actual soulmates. It seems too good to be true but the whole wolves and vampires thing is real so why can't the concept of soulmates be-"

He pulled her to a stop just in front of his house. "Hey. Princess. Deep breath." His hand gently held her face tipped up to him. Touch was a powerful grounding force for wolves. Bella leaned into his rough palm without a thought.

"I know you aren't fickle. I've spent the last week harassing Billy for any tidbit of information about you that he could think of. I know you've got a good head on your shoulders. Billy had nothing but amazing things to say about you, he was just sad you weren't meant for Jacob. I'm not, that's for damn sure." She could see in his face that he meant every word he said. His strong brow was furrowed in a serious look like he was urging her to believe him.

He continued, "I am the last person to judge you for what you did with Black. Especially since you two were so close, it makes complete sense that he would be who you trusted that to. You don't have to worry about me judging you. If anything, I think it makes you a strong woman for asking for what you wanted. I'm all about strong females," Paul grinned, sliding his hand from her face down to caress the side of her neck. Wherever his brain trailed off to, his face looked downright lecherous. Paul’s mind involuntarily flashed to the second-hand memories he wished he could scrub from his brain. His face fell in shame before he spoke again.

"I just hate that the pack saw you like that. That was a personal moment that should have stayed between you two. I'll be sure to kick his ass for that the next chance I get." He dropped his hand back to his side and took a small step back. The usually confident wolf looked down at his feet and seemed uncharacteristically shy about whatever he had to say next. 

"I should be the one worried about what you think," he continued, "I'm not proud of my history with women. I've never actually dated anyone and it took imprinting for me to realize how shitty I treated women. Just thinking about some asshole using you the way I used to-" He clenched his jaw, fighting to contain the cagey tension in his muscles. Bella quickly closed the gap between them, reaching out to run her hands up and down his deliciously bulky arms. She needed to comfort him like she needed her next breath.

With one side of her mouth hitched up in a smile, she tried to catch his eye, "I was just telling Emily that the spirits knew we could learn together how to have a healthy relationship." Her touch melted the stress from his body.

"You're really smart, Princess, and that's fucking sexy," he said wrapping his arms around her waist and giving her a gentle squeeze.

She wasn't done talking about romantic histories. She was more worried about what he thought concerning another aspect of her past. 

"You're not bothered that I dated Edward?" Bella stepped back again, feeling inappropriate even speaking that name in Paul’s embrace. It was her turn to look at her feet, too nervous about his reaction to make eye contact. She didn't want to see the disgust or disappointment at the reminder that she was dumb enough to fall for a vampire. 

Instead, Bella was startled by the immediate anger that burst out of Paul in the form of an inhuman growl. She remembered every story and warning she had been given about this hot-head since she asked Jake about him at the bonfire. But even then, she wasn’t afraid for her own safety for even a second. She trusted Paul in a way that scared her more than the growling shapeshifter trying to contain himself mere feet away from her.

Paul took a deep breath to keep himself in this skin. Bella was not ready to meet the wolf, especially in a moment of anger. He composed himself before turning back to her with deliberate slowness.

He attempted to temper his voice, "That sparkly fucking  _ asshole  _ manipulated you with thrall from day one. I know you see that now. I will rip that dickless leech to shreds for the games he played by leaving that vampire-stank soaked shit in your room. I haven't forgotten about that and I won't anytime soon. Or the fact that he put you in harm’s way with those rogue bloodsuckers. His poor decisions are still out there haunting you.  _ Hunting you. _ "

Bella was stunned silent. Paul stepped into her space again, tipping her chin up to make sure she saw how sincerely he meant it.

"No, I am not bothered that you dated a vampire. You can't help who you fall in love with."

She still didn't know what to say to that, so Paul was just going to let her think. He took her hand and gently pulled her feet into action, directing her up the gravel driveway.

"This is my place. I was planning on making you dinner if you wanted to stay and talk some more?" 

Paul did not relish this new feeling of anxiety and self-doubt. It's like the swagger in his step was stumbling now that he actually cared what happened with this girl. She won't just be a forgotten face in the morning and Paul wasn't ready to admit how much that scared him. She could still reject him and he wouldn't just bounce back to find the next pretty girl in a bar.

He ushered her into the modest house, letting her pause to take it all in. 

Bella was pleasantly surprised at how neat it was for a bachelor pad. The living room and kitchen were essentially one large room with a dining table breaking up the space. A door off of the living area must lead to the bedrooms. Paul took a seat on the couch and watched her take in the space from her spot frozen by the door. She looked like she was trying to figure out how to say something so he waited patiently, not trying to spook her. She seemed like any small thing could set her off again and he understood. It had been a crazy day for her and their conversation so far had been pretty heavy. She must have found the words for her question because she finally spoke up, taking a step into the room towards Paul.

"So you live here alone? Where are your.. Um.."

"Parents?" He provided for her. Patting the seat next to him on the couch, he gave her his whole backstory. Drug addict mom, deadbeat dad, abuse as long as he could remember, leaving Tacoma and his mother behind, and getting left the house when his father drove into a tree drunk as a skunk. He didn't like talking about it but he got the facts out and figured they had the rest of their lives to rehash stories of the past. She gave him the bullet points of her history too. Forks, Renee leaving with her, visiting for holidays, Jacob, Forks again, Edward, and now she was here. They both grew up with no examples of a happy marriage at home so it made sense that they romanticized the concept of soulmates.

"So you imprinted at the bonfire? Wait, but that wasn't the first time I saw you." She remembered being astounded at the instant attraction she felt towards him at just a glance in the refrigerated aisle of Ateara General.

"Yeah uhh..," it was his turn to be embarrassed. "I didn't actually catch your eye at the store. Imprinting happens with eye contact and mine were a little busy with your uhhh.."

She burst out laughing and scooted a little closer to him on the couch. Putting her hand on his arm, taking any excuse to touch him, she reassured, "Paul you really don't have to feel bad. My eyes were just as preoccupied."

Him and his wolf preened under her admission. They liked that she was checking him out. With his reputation he had caught the eye of many women from the coast to Port Angeles but he'd never felt less like a piece of meat and more like he won a prize than right now. His imprint liked how he looked.

"I gotta say, I was really worried when I first imprinted. I thought you and Jake had a more serious relationship and I would be doomed to watch my future Alpha date my imprint. But you guys weren't really together? Is that why you two took it so well?"

She wanted to be as honest as possible. "It was honestly a relief because the imprint confirmed what I think we both already knew. Jake and I were best friends trying to force a relationship. I thought he'd be a safe choice. I felt sad for him that he couldn't find that kind of connection and I wanted to try and be that for him. I know now that it was foolish. I even feel a little guilty being happy I was imprinted on." Bella had intended to be honest, but that last admission was more information than she thought Paul would be ready for.

"You don't have to feel guilty,” Paul crooned, sliding closer to her. “Everyone wants to be loved.”

She inched even closer to him on the couch and placed her other hand on his knee. He was dying to touch her but he didn't want to startle her.

Now that they were alone and the overwhelm of the whole pack was gone, she was completely relaxing into him. He erred on the side of caution and draped his arm over the back of the couch around her, keeping his touches innocent. She felt a hum of electricity where his arm barely grazed her. This must be the pull Kim and Emily talked about. She just wanted to touch him and even just her hand on his knee and his arm around her shoulders had taken away any residual panic or fears from earlier.

"I don't see how Baby Chief missed it but you weren't just relieved." He leaned into her and took a long drag, inhaling from her collarbone and up her neck to behind her ear. "You were  _ excited _ ."

Bella felt the blush crawl up her neck to her cheeks, remembering all the dirty thoughts she'd had starring Paul for the past week. Had it really only been a week?

Suddenly feeling very flustered at his proximity she stuttered, "I uhh...I knew…that imprinting uhh. From what Billy said those relationships tend to be uhhh.. They're...uhh romantic?" It came out more like a question because she wasn't sure how to tell him what aspect of their potential relationship specifically got her hot and bothered. Paul could tell, and  _ smell _ , what kind of thoughts she was having. He was trying not to get his hopes up about this evening, but other parts of his body were definitely  _ up  _ from the idea of his imprint fantasizing about him.

"Did you mean sexual, Princess?" He leered at her, loving the way she was practically panting just thinking about it. "You just met me. We've only seen each other a few times around the rez." He couldn't stand to be so far away from her when she smelled that edible. He reached over, grabbing her thigh and brought her up over his lap, straddling him. Her hands landed on his chest and his were right at home on her hips.

"Have you seen yourself? A few times around the rez was all it took. I've been thinking about you ever since I drooled at the sight of you in the store." She couldn't believe she just admitted that to him but it just came out. The surprised look on her face must have given her away.

"No secrets in an imprint, sorry Princess." He wanted to pull her closer so she could feel all of him. The shorts he was wearing didn’t do a great job of hiding his arousal. 

"Well that's just embarrassing. At least I can still keep secrets from Jake so I don't have to tell him how sexy I think you are." Her hand flew over her traitorous mouth as soon as the words came out, but Paul could only laugh. She was so cute when she was flustered. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and got lost in her eyes.

It was time to get serious, they had important things to discuss about the logistics of an imprint. Like how he couldn't be away from her for too long or how any dumbass who looked at her the wrong way would lose an eye. He wanted to explain the claiming aspect to her and reassure her that everything would happen at her own pace. His voice dropped an octave, "Bella, I can be whatever you ne-"

He abruptly stopped at the equally sudden change in her scent. She had been gradually warming up to him but what got her so riled up so suddenly?

_ The voice _ .

She should feel embarrassed. That's what her mind screamed at her. She had a hard time admitting to even herself that she  _ loved  _ the way he made her feel. Desired. Beautiful.  _ Safe. _

"You like the deep voice, don't you?" She could only nod and try to squeeze her thighs together but she was spread out over him. A tingling in her lower abdomen made her squirm over his lap, incidentally pressing down on his throbbing length.

Talking could wait. They had talked enough. Clearly she wanted him and Paul may have a soft heart buried somewhere deep down, he had a very hard cock that had plans of its own.

He crashed his lips to hers before either of them could overthink it. This was their first kiss and it was all passion. Bella had wanted fireworks when she was with Jake but this was a fucking atom bomb going off and rippling out across her nerves.

She moaned into his mouth and he loved hearing her make that noise. His new mission was to determine what else he could do to make that noise come out of her pretty pink lips again.

His hands roamed up her back and sides. He wasn't going to rush her into anything so he desperately tried to keep his hands in check and stay in safe areas. She opened her lips just enough for him to take the opportunity to introduce his tongue. They licked and bit at each other's mouths until they were both panting. Paul's hands took the opportunity of his brain's distraction to go against orders and took a firm grip of each globe of her butt. He was correct in his earlier assessment: this ass was made for his hands.

She ground down into him while his hands encouraged the movement from their new permanent residence on her ass. He couldn't help but buck up into her, desperate for friction his cock was begging for. She pulled back just enough to speak between panting breaths.

"Paul, I uhh.."

"I already told you I don't think you're a slut for taking what you want and I know you want  _ something _ right now. It doesn't have to be all the way but I'm dying to make you cum, Princess."

"Oh god, Paul," she groaned as he trailed kisses down her throat. He licked back up to her ear and gently nibbled on the lobe. His needs could wait. Having her open across his lap felt amazing but his priorities were on one thing and one thing only.

He needed his mouth on her pussy. Right now. He needed to get any and all traces of Jacob fucking Black off of his imprint. His wolf demanded it.

"Bella, I don't want to intimidate you or push you but I gotta be honest. I need to taste you."

She paused at his request.

"Taste me?" She had a pretty good idea what he meant, but she was a little nervous about something so intimate happening so quickly. It's a pretty vulnerable position to have someone else somewhere so...personal. She felt like a hussy for wanting exactly what he was offering, but she believed him when he said he wasn't judging her.

He was worried she wouldn't let him and he didn't want to gross her out with his wolf's real motives. A human just doesn't understand the possessive nature of the animal. He could still smell someone else on her. He stood up from the couch still holding her to him like she weighed nothing. He turned around and dropped to his knees, setting her back down on the very edge of the couch with his body still between her thighs. She still seemed unsure so he decided to be straight with her. He leaned forward, pushing her back to recline against the cushions with his chest and whispered against her lips.

"I can smell him on you and my wolf is going a little ballistic, Princess. I need nothing from you in return. I just want to make you feel good and it's a real added bonus to get the smell of Jacob Black off of what's mine." He leaned back and his eyes flicked down to her crotch to emphasize what exactly he was referring to. Her arousal permeated the air around him and he let out a low growl of appreciation. She loved that sound and it turned her on even more. She rolled her hips up and dug her fingers into his shoulders.

"Don't think about what you think you  _ should _ do, think about what you  _ want _ to do, little girl." He maintained eye contact while leaning down and kissing her hip bone where her sweatshirt had ridden up to expose an expanse of skin above her jeans.

She was convinced. Her hands had found their way into his dark silky hair and she gasped out the only word she could manage.

" _ Please." _

That was the green light he needed. Paul wasted no time with the button of her jeans. He pulled the zipper down and each click of the zipper's teeth opening sounded like the winning lottery bells of a slot machine.  _ Jackpot, indeed. _

His strong hands pulled her jeans and underwear off together in one smooth movement, exposing inch after inch of snow white skin. They got stuck until she could toe off her shoes in a much less graceful movement. Paul didn't think she was awkward. If anything, he thought it was endearing that she was a little clumsy. She smiled sheepishly at him before resuming her position with her shoulders against the back of the couch. Paul smoothed his hands up her thighs and over her hips, pushing her sweatshirt up past her belly button. With a firm grip on her sides he yanked her body down until her ass was hanging over the edge and her head was propped up at the perfect angle to watch him work.

She thought she'd feel nervous or shy with a man she barely knew between her thighs and staring at her vagina with reverence, but she felt empowered. This caramel demi-god wanted her. And he had appreciated her body before the wolfy magic kicked in. She remembered how weak Edward had made her feel, but not Paul. She felt powerful. She had brought this man to his knees. Literally.

He paused to appreciate the view, slowly settling her legs over his shoulders one at a time. Her hair was neatly trimmed and someday he'd talk her into getting a full wax so she could experience just how good it felt bare. Her labia were on the longer side of average and her clit was hidden under a hood. Every vagina was different and this one was beautiful because he could see that it was soaked. She glistened with her arousal, nearly dripping. Paul was going to permanently brand this image into his memory.

He gave gentle kisses up her thigh and she squirmed underneath him. She was either ticklish or impatient and he liked both. He was done being tentative. Paul gave her a firm lick along the entire length of her slit, ass to clit. She jolted at the sudden contact and moaned appreciatively when he did it again.

The taste of female and her unique flavor sent his mind into overdrive. She was his mate.  _ His. _

Paul brought one hand up around the outside of her thigh and gently rubbed her clit with his thumb while his tongue explored her folds. He knew starting small was better until she was more worked up but he could be patient. The strokes of his tongue became more pointed as he teased her entrance.

Bella groaned in frustration when he pulled back to look at her, his thumb still making circles with a featherlight touch she didn't think his powerful hands were capable of.

"Do you touch yourself, Princess?"

She loved hearing his voice but she did not want him to stop. She nodded and bit down on her bottom lip.

"Yes, why?" she asked, frustrated when he didn't continue.

"I'm just enjoying the mental image," he said with a smirk before licking the length of her slit once again. Her eyes rolled back and she let out a moan, feeding his ego.

He stretched out his tongue and entered her as far as he could, pinching down on her nub at the same time. "Fuck!" He did it again and again, enjoying the litany of exclamations pouring out of her. Replacing his tongue with two meaty fingers made Bella invoke a higher power.

"Oh god, Paul!"

"That's it, baby," he crooned before sucking her swollen clit between his lips. His flicked the end with his tongue repeatedly and she felt like a ball of heat was accumulating behind her belly button. Paul was fanning the flames with every plunge of his fingers. He flattened his tongue and pressed down on her clit hard while curling his fingers up, extracting her first orgasm with a come hither motion.

Bella pushed her hips harder into his face and screamed out his name. He didn't relent, refusing to let her come down from her high. Resuming the quick pointed licks to her nub, he felt her cum around his fingers again. She pulled at his hair when her clit became too sensitive and he took the hint, wiping his face on the back of his hand but never stopping the slow repetitive intrusion of his fingers.

"Have you ever cum like that before, Princess?" He asked with a smile.

"Never, Paul. Not even close," she admitted closing her eyes and dropping her head back on the couch.

"I'll make sure to tell Black next time I see him," Paul smiled devilishly. He continued pumping his fingers in and out of her with the occasional pass of his thumb over her clit sending aftershocks over her nerves.

"New rule: no talking about my best friend while you're inside me. How's that sound?"

"Deal. I should hope he doesn't come up in conversation in bed too often. Now that you've caught your breath, can I make you cum again?"

" _ Again?! _ "

Approximately forty five minutes later, Paul drove Bella's truck back to Forks. He had put on a shirt even after protests and a pout from the young woman. It was a damn shame to cover that up. It's a good thing he did because Charlie would not have appreciated the view quite as much as his daughter.

Paul pulled into her driveway next to Chief Swan's cruiser. He was planning on a quick goodbye and running back to the rez but those plans were dashed when Charlie stepped out onto the porch as Paul opened the passenger door for Bella to climb out.

"I was wondering what was keeping you so late, Bells. I called over to Billy's and he said you left ages ago. I was about to send out a search party." Charlie crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame.

"I guess you get to meet Charlie," Bella shrugged and climbed the porch steps.

"Oh I am well acquainted with Chief Swan," Paul mumbled to himself, not looking forward to this interaction but he might as well get it over with.

"Paul Lahote. Decided just to come to me so I don't have to bother tracking you down first? Saves us both a lot of time," he chided before getting deadly serious. "Just what the hell are you doing with my daughter?"

Paul had quite a history with the Forks Police Department. Charlie had come out to the Lahote home on quite a few noise complaints and domestic violence calls nearly a decade ago. Alexander Lahote liked to get real loud and break things when he got drunk enough. Every once in a while Paul was what he broke. Any time the Forks Police Department saw bruises on the boy, they'd go to the tribal council and suggest taking Paul into the foster system. The tribal council insisted on taking care of their own and without approval, Charlie couldn't do anything.

The council failed Paul. They didn't see a broken child that was desperately asking for help the only way he knew how. They only saw a boy who picked fights at school, disrespected his teachers, and got "proper" discipline at home for his actions.

Charlie would visit Paul as often as he could without drawing attention from his father and causing the kid more problems. He made sure there was food in the house, Paul had clothes that fit him and that he had a coat in the winter. As Paul got older he didn't like being a charity case and he lashed out at Charlie too. He's always had quite a temper.

Charlie still had a soft spot for the boy even when he started getting called down to the rez regarding the younger Lahote troublemaker. Vandalism, fighting, and even a few accusations from fathers saying that Paul manipulated their innocent little daughters. Those girls knew what they were asking for but that wasn't an argument Paul wanted to have again. Especially meeting the Chief for the first time as Bella's ...boyfriend? He didn't know what to call it yet but he definitely wasn't going to introduce himself as Bella's soulmate, even if it was true.

Bella looked like she didn't know where to start so Paul started for her, "Chief Swan, it's been years since I've been trouble." Actually, about a year and a half since he phased but now wasn't the time to get into specifics. "I've cleaned up my act and I work security for the tribe now."

Bella thought that was a clever way to put it and it certainly wasn't a lie. He just wasn't protecting from the kind of things Charlie was thinking of.

Charlie was going to give him a hard time even though he always rooted for the boy.

"Bells? This hooligan is who you're spending time with? What about Jacob? You should date a nice boy like him."

"Cha- Dad," she corrected herself, "Paul is a great guy. You can't blame someone for their teenaged mistakes forever. Do I need to remind you how old you were when I was born?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, low blow there, Bells." Charlie was shocked she went there but she must really care about this boy to be pulling out the big guns right out of the starting gate. "I'm just giving him a hard time. I've always thought Paul was an okay kid. I hoped he'd pull his head out of his ass and get his act together." He gave Paul a stern look and pointed an aggressive finger straight between his eyes. "Fine, but the first wrong move and I'm getting my shotgun."

"All I'm asking for is a chance, Chief," Paul held his hand out with a grin. Charlie looked skeptically between the two before he shook the younger man's hand. Charlie looked concerned at Bella's glazed over eyes watching Paul. He didn’t want a repeat of the Cullen disaster.

Bella was proud of Paul for how he handled her crazy father and got lost admiring his smile. She couldn't help but remember where those lips had been less than an hour ago. Bella was not surprised to find her mind in the gutter once again. It seemed that was where her mind lived now that Paul was in the picture. She expected to feel dirty or guilty after what they did on his couch but those feelings never came.  _ Oh boy _ , she sure did though.

Paul could tell where her mind was based off the blush in her cheeks and the way she stood clenching her thighs together. The smell of her arousal was practically always on her whenever he was around and he couldn't be more content. His wolf preened and the man hardened. He needed to be anywhere but in front of Charlie Swan with an erection this painful.

"I need to get headed back for my next shift," Paul broke the awkward silence, snapping Bella out of her daydreams. "I'll see you soon, Princess." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and bolted down the driveway before she could even respond.

Charlie looked back at Bella, "Princess? And was he not wearing shoes? Where's his car?"

Bella shrugged and walked past him into the house. That did not go well but at least nobody got shot. Today.

Paul phased back with a leap into the trees as soon as his shorts and t-shirt were tied to his ankle. He'd have to have a stash of more substantial clothes around the Swan's house or Charlie was going to be mighty suspicious if he wasn't already.

The first thing Paul heard through the pack mind was Quil's frustration. He was still wearing fur and desperate not to be. He was hungry and he wanted to explain things to his mother, but most of all, he wanted to hold Embry.

He could see where the other wolves were. Jared was patrolling and using all of his mental strength to only focus on the sights and sounds along the border of the rez where he ran.

Paul found them in a clearing and saw Embry in cutoffs standing between a wolfy Quil and Sam. 

"Quil, I would love to talk to you about this without other people literally in our heads, but you have to phase back. C'mon, babe," Embry pleaded.

Sam phased onto two legs as Paul sat back on his haunches next to him, towering over his Alpha in this form.

"Embry, maybe having you here is more of a distraction?" Sam suggested. Quil let out a high pitched whine to make it clear how he felt about that idea. Paul could hear Quil's thoughts now that he was calm enough to think in coherent sentences.

_ No! Please let Emb stay. Please Emb, don't go. Don't leave me. _

Paul wasn't surprised to feel the flavor of panic in the new wolf's thoughts. He did what he could to help.

_ Embry isn't going anywhere, dude. He's yours forever. _

Quil gave a mental eye roll.  _ What do you know about how Embry feels, asshole? _

Paul brushed it off,  _ gee, thanks dude. _

_ Sorry, Paul. I forget you can hear what I think. It's not easy to control your thoughts and we weren't exactly friends before this. _

Paul didn't blame him, he knew the younger guys thought he was a douche bag, he just never cared before. But now they were brothers and they needed to be able to rely on each other. And even as an experienced wolf he struggled to control his thoughts sometimes. Like right then he was trying his hardest to keep a tight lid on his memories of Bella because the other guys have seen enough of her for a lifetime.  _ Oh, Bella. _

That gave him an idea on how to get Quil to phase back. He nudged Sam with a yip to get him to phase wolf again.

_ What, Paul?  _ Sam asked, the exhaustion leaking through his tone.

_ I've got an idea. _

_ Go ahead, I've tried everything I can think of.  _ Sam huffed a mental sigh that came out as a pant in wolf form.

Paul turned back towards Embry and nudged him with his nose until he stood in front of Quil, eye to giant, yellow eye. He addressed Quil through the pack mind.

_ Quil, you can't kiss Embry as a wolf. _

Quil proved him wrong by licking his man from collarbone to temple with a playful yip. Embry was smiling ear to ear from the wolfy affection. They’d been at this all day, but the joy of just being around Quil was enough. 

Paul was glad Embry couldn't hear him right now because he knew the boy would be painfully embarrassed at what he was about to do, Embry's hands were locked in the chocolate fur of Quil's neck and everyone could practically feel the vibrations from Quil's purr of satisfaction.

Paul amended his statement.  _ You can't kiss Embry properly as a wolf. Picture being human. Imagine walking on two legs towards Embry and intertwining your human fingers with his. _

Paul could feel love radiating off of Quil's mental image of two dark hands locked together.

_ Now picture how your human fingers would feel in his hair. Imagine all the things your human hands could feel. _

Quil had no problem coming up with a list of Embry's body parts he'd like to get his hands on. Sam shuffled from paw to paw uncomfortably even if he was incredibly impressed with how Paul was handling this delicate situation. Embry had no idea what was going on, but he helped unknowingly by continuing to stroke the fur along Quil's powerful brow and the side of his muzzle.

Paul continued before Quil could get too off track with his X-rated imagination.

_ Quil, focus. Imagine grabbing your man with human arms and planting a wet one on him with human lips. _

The mental first-person image of kissing Embry cut out from the pack mind just in time for Quil to step forward on two feet and give the wolves a show for real. He wrapped his arms around Embry's waist and pulled him flush against his body. Thankfully concealing just how  _ happy  _ he was to finally express how he's always felt about the other boy.

Embry's arms wrapped around his neck, enthusiastically returning the kiss. Quil used to be almost a half foot shorter than Embry, but now they were almost the same height, Quil still just a hair shorter. Embry's hands were frantically pulling on shoulders and hair trying to get impossibly closer. Both shifters moaned into the kiss when Quil grabbed Embry's ass and grinded into him.

Paul and Sam turned away, seeing far more than either of them wanted to witness.

Sam bumped his shoulder against Paul's in the lupine equivalent of a high five.  _ That was amazing how you handled that. You've got a lot of leadership potential if you can get these boys to look past your asshole tendencies. Maybe you can make a run for Second when Jake takes over. _

_ Hey! _

They both had forgotten Jared was running patrols. Paul just chuckled, brushing off Sam’s suggestion. 

Sam hoped it was safe to look back to his younger pack brothers when the moans and wet kissing sounds were replaced with whispers. 

Clearing his voice first, Embry called out to his Alpha, "Hey Sam, we're gonna umm...catch up. I'll keep an eye on Quil and make sure he doesn't phase again or hurt someone."

Sam turned back around to see a very naked Quil using Embry as a human shield, peering over his imprint's shoulder at the two giant wolves. The Alpha gave him a confirming yip and nodded his giant head towards the rez, encouraging them to go home.

Sam and Paul took off running back towards home, both reflecting on the events of the day before Paul quipped,

_ Well that's gonna be a shit show, but they sure are cute together. _


	6. Chapter 6

The pack was gathered in Sam's living room for movie night. They took one hour shifts to patrol so that way everyone got to attend, but the rez wasn't left defenseless. There had been only the occasional lone bloodsucker that just happened to wander through the wrong territory. The wolves weren't known to the vampire world and they intended to keep it that way by killing any leech that they came across.

Paul was still worried about the red-headed bloodsucker's companion showing up so he insisted Sam always had a set of paws running the border with their nose to the ground. Sam also had the wolves pass by the Clearwaters with each loop through the rez. They were keeping an eye out for Seth Clearwater's signs of the phase after being warned of a high temperature by his father and council member, Harry Clearwater.

Embry was the one currently on duty but it was Jared's turn any minute now. Paul was draped across an over-sized armchair like he owned the place. He was wrapped securely around Bella's midsection, occasionally grabbing for the bowl of popcorn in her arms. Every couple was similarly entangled. Emily was under Sam's arm on the love seat. Quil was stretched out on the couch counting down the minutes until the top of the hour for Embry to be back. Kim and Jared had been snuggled on a beanbag on the floor but they were now kissing goodbye just outside the back door.

Quil was getting impatient, "Holy shit Kim, he might need his tongue for something else in the future. Stop trying to suck it out of his throat!"

She pulled back and shot the newest pup a glare. Quil fit so seamlessly into pack life that it felt like he had just always been around.

"Fine but only because that means Embry will come back and you can remove the stick out of your ass, Quil."

Quil raised his eyebrows and scoffed, "Hey, I'm not the one that had something in his ass today."

"QUIL!" the entire room screamed in unison before throwing whatever was convenient at the jester's head. Quil dodged everything but Emily's heavy wooden drink coaster and gave her an impressed nod, rubbing his forehead where she had hit bullseye.

Sam gave him an admonishing look, "Do you think Embry would appreciate you sharing your umm… personal business with everyone?"

"As long as his  _ personal _ bits are all mine at the end of the day, I don't care what he says," Embry said, jogging through the back door as soon as Jared left.

Quil pulled his man down onto the couch and wrapped around him like the perfect sized big spoon. Kissing his neck and inhaling that comforting scent of mate, he said, "Honey, you can have my personal bits at the end of the day, in the middle of the day, or right when we wake up. My personal bits. Are. All. Yours." Each word was punctuated by a slow grind of his rapidly growing erection against Embry's delicious ass.

"You two are perverts. No wonder you're perfect together," Emily giggled.

"I actually prefer the non-stop sexual innuendos over the lovey-dovey grossness that the rest of you guys spew. At least they're funny," Jake pointed out.

"See guys, Jake thinks we're funny!" Quil said, "And I don't want to stop making comments about my amazing newfound sex life. It just keeps getting better."

Embry kissed his mate soundly on the lips before suggesting, "You know practice makes perfect, babe. Maybe we should practice some more." He turned to face Quil on the couch, both still horizontal, and wrapped his limbs around him before getting lost in a make out session. The room groaned as a whole except Jake who defended his two best friends.

"As the only non-imprinted wolf in the pack right now, trust me, it's way easier being around this shit all day," he jerked a thumb towards the liplocked couple and kept eating his chips with practiced nonchalance.

Sam wanted to keep his living room rated PG, "No more foreplay on my couches! If you two can't keep it in your pants for one goddamn movie you can watch a movie at home."

That definitely caught Embry's attention. He snapped his head up to stage whisper to Quil who was now underneath him, "Ooh, I like that idea, babe. Let's go! My mom will be at work until at least midnight."

Jake called out over this shoulder, "Yeah, go watch Magic Mike!" The pair were off the couch and running hand in hand so quickly nobody would have been surprised to see two shape shifter sized holes in the wall, Looney Tunes style.

"Maybe we will!" Quil yelled back, already halfway down the driveway.

Paul and Bella took over the couch, leaving the armchair to Kim. Paul was sitting up now with his arm around Bella's waist holding her close. Her legs were curled up and she fit perfectly nestled into his side.

It had been a few weeks since their first encounter on Paul's couch and the lovers had become very familiar with third base. It seemed that anytime they were alone for more than five minutes, someone's hands would be in the other's pants. Usually quickly followed by a hasty undressing and mouths taking over.

The first time Bella had ventured into the  _ vast _ unknown hiding quite conspicuously in Paul's cutoffs was a moment she hoped he never accidentally remembered in the pack mind.

Paul had seized the opportunity of Charlie working a night shift and climbed in Bella's window on his way home from a patrol shift. She was waiting up for him in bed, reading by the lamplight.

"What's a pretty thing like you doing in a place like this?" he leered from his position leaning against the windowsill, arms and legs crossed.

"Are you insulting my room, Paul Lahote?" Bella snapped her book shut and tossed it onto the nightstand. Her playful smile betrayed her attempt at a harsh tone.

Paul pushed off his perch on the window sill and stalked forward, eyeing his prey. He didn't like how much of her was hidden by her covers. Despite the chill in the air, he ripped the bedspread out of Bella's clutches. He would keep her warm. He raked his eyes over her pale legs, noticing the goosebumps defacing her soft skin. She wore a pair of little black boyshorts and a soft pink, tight fitted tank, her nipples were proudly on display.

He crawled onto the foot of the bed and kissed his way up her body starting at her ankles, up her calves, then the inside of her knees. Her thighs parted for him all on their own, her body begging for the pleasure she knew he could give with that mouth. But she had made the decision for tonight to be about him. Paul was always so generous with the pleasure he gave and ever the gentleman. She wanted to return the favor. To make him feel good.

Her motivations were not all selfless. She was dying of curiosity and excited to experiment a little herself.

"No, Paul," she pulled at his hair urging him to climb up her body and kiss her. Before she could lose her focus in their languid kisses, she pushed against his chest until he backed off. When she kept pushing against his heated bare chest he realized what she wanted and rolled them over.

"What do you want, Princess?" he smirked at her, trying not to get his hopes up of where this might be going. His dick was straining against his gym shorts and the thin material allowed him to feel the heat of her core directly on his aching length.

"It's your turn," she stated, pecking him one more time before scooting back down his body. He was not going to protest. None of that 'oh you don't have to' bullshit. She was a smart woman, fully aware of her decisions and he was not going to discourage her one bit.

He had been jerking his Johnson multiple times a day for the past few weeks since the imprint. He had never had more hand-to-gland combat in his life. Not even when he was like twelve and first discovered what he could do with his disco stick. It was the only thing he could do to keep from pouncing on her before she was ready and he was determined to wait until she was begging him to take her.

Bella dug her dainty fingers into his waistband and while maintaining eye contact, pulled his shorts out and over his member which practically sprang free from where it was laying against his abdomen, all the way across to his hip. The tip was wet with precum and anticipation and he prayed to the spirits that she would lick it. Her eyes drifted back down his form. He knew the second she finally layed eyes on his dick because she sat up straight and whisper yelled, " _ WHAT THE FUCK, PAUL?" _

He had a pretty good idea what freaked her out so bad. She wasn't the first woman to be intimidated by his size but she would be the last. 

Her eyes were bugged out of her head and her hands were held up in the air like she was afraid it was going to jump up and bite her. His cock wouldn't,  _ but Paul might. _ He wasn't going to reassure her or try to bolster her confidence. If Paul had learned anything about her it was that Bella Swan did not need a man to tell her what she could or could not do. So instead of encouraging her, he made it a dare.

"What's the problem, Princess?" he goaded her with a raise of his brows.

Paul settled back against her pillows and crossed his arms behind his head, flexing to make his dick twitch and laughing when it made her jump in surprise. He loved that she was a strong woman and he had the previous men in her life that fucked up to thank for that. But Edward Cullen and Jacob Black were the furthest thing from his mind when Bella squared her shoulders with determination and leaned forward. She licked alllll the way from base to tip before flashing him a mischievous smile.

Paul's mind was quickly brought back to the present in Sam's living room by Bella's featherlight touch on his member. His body must have been reminiscing too because he was sporting a tent big enough to host a party inside his thin gym shorts. The movie was still playing but they couldn't even remember what the pack had been watching.

With a glance around the room to make sure nobody else was watching them, Paul pulled Bella onto his lap sideways so his throbbing erection was pressed between his stomach and her thigh. He had one arm around her back and the other holding her legs against him. He slowly rocked his hips to rub his length against her leg.

His girl was a tease. She knew they'd be at Sam's for movie night and she had worn a skirt. Nothing too tiny, a modest knee-length a-line skirt with a light sweater tucked in. She had on knee high socks that looked amazing barely showing over her tall leather boots that had been left at the door.

She knew how Paul felt about her legs and she had played into the classic school girl image on purpose. During one of their many late night phone calls he had admitted the stereotypical fantasy was definitely a turn on for him. Who cares if it was a cliche?

Bella wrapped a hand behind his back and the other rested on his chest, holding a fistfull of his t-shirt. She leaned forward and licked up his jaw in a very lupine display of affection. She was playing dirty but she was hoping to rile him up. A sexually frustrated Paul made for very fun evenings of inventive ways to get each other off.

Paul's hand across her thigh slipped down, dipping between her knees. This was going exactly where she hoped it would and she smiled into his neck devilishly.

They knew anything whispered would be heard by every supernatural ear in the room so they communicated in facial expressions. Paul brought a finger in front of his lips to remind her to stay quiet before bringing his hand back to her inner thigh, just under the hem of her skirt. Slowly inching up, leaving goosebumps in its wake. She parted her thighs ever so slightly to grant him access. Just the tip of his finger grazed her wet center. Just one swipe.

And Paul's attention went back to the TV. What the hell? Her heart was racing and she could feel her blush reaching practically down to her toes and he just stopped. His hand was still hovering right there but he was watching the movie all of a sudden?

Bella turned back to the screen to watch a bunch of ditzy teenagers hiding in a tool shed, scared shitless. This was some horror movie about a chainsaw wielding psycho trying to kill a group of bimbos.

A chainsaw reved on screen and the hand Paul had behind her back reached up and took a firm grip of Bella's ponytail. The girls in the shed all screamed bloody murder and Paul had been paying close attention for his cue.

He plunged two deliciously large fingers into her heat as deep as he could. His thumb pressed down hard on her clit. The anticipation nearly did it for her but the sudden explosion of sensation flew her over the edge. Bella's gasp was masked by the cries from the movie and Emily and Kim's squeals of surprise.

Jacob was not fooled. He was trying not to notice what was happening on the couch, but anyone with regular fucking eyeballs could see Paul had like his entire fucking hand inside Bella right now. He could see from his peripherals how her back arched and she shuddered her release. Holy fuck, she didn't do that with him. And that made him feel even stupider.

Jacob shifted uncomfortably in the bean bag chair. He was horribly ashamed of his painful erection. It wasn't his fault that he intimately remembered the unique smell of Bella and that she was involved in the only sexual experience he'd ever had outside of his right hand. He wasn't jealous, they were much happier as just friends. Besides, the imprint didn't allow him to feel that way towards her anymore. But the physiological reaction was something that he couldn't help. He had to get out of here. If a breeze caught him the wrong  _ (right)  _ way he would blow his load in his pants.

How was he going to find love? He was in the other guys' heads all the time and they were all so  _ happy.  _ He felt like he was missing something. Not an other half like an imprint. Quil described imprinting with Embry as finally feeling complete, but his wolf didn't feel incomplete. He was missing someone to share this with. An equal. He had this need to dominate the other wolves and he supposed that was the alpha traits raising to the surface, but he didn't want to dominate a mate. Well, not in a pack hierarchy sense at least. He could get on board with some kinky "yes, master" shit. Fuck, he was trying to get rid of an erection, not bust through his zipper. But damn, a girl in a leather corset, on her knees…  _ Jesus H. Christ, pull your mind out of the gutter, Black. _

His wolf was clawing at his insides like it was trying to tell him something and he just couldn't figure out what. Can't the damn thing communicate with him somehow? Maybe learn sign language? Wolves are smart animals, it should be able to figure out a way to tell him what he's supposed to do. His wolf might be smart be he felt like a fucking idiot.

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Quil and Embry basked in the sweaty afterglow of their lovemaking. Quil was slumped against Embry's chest, still nestled between his thighs. The evidence of Embry's pleasure was sticky between them but neither of them wanted to move yet.

This was always the hardest part. Peeling themselves off of each other and going to their separate houses at the end of the night. They had wasted no time accepting their imprint after leaving the clearing with Sam and Paul. They only paused to track down some lube after barely making it indoors before Quil had Embry's cutoffs around his ankles.

Now, weeks later, they had found their stride. Everything was so new and kind of scary at first, but they were loving every minute they got to spend figuring it out this new territory together. Only the pack and the council knew about their relationship and the only reason the council knew was because Old Quil couldn't keep his old trap shut. The day the younger Quil phased, Old Quil went digging into the archives to look for any history on homosexual wolves. He hadn't known about the imprint yet and he was still holding out hope that Quil would imprint on a girl and be  _ normal _ .

The boys were perfectly content with their new normal exactly how it was. A lifelong friendship easily translated into a comfortable relationship within closed doors. They were careful to avoid PDA around anyone but the pack. Their pack family had grown accustomed to their wily ways and joked around with them the same way they joked with the other couples in the pack.

Jake was the biggest offender, always calling out overzealous displays of affection, but they all knew it was friendly. He was just a little jealous that everyone around him was in a relationship and it was an unspoken rule not to acknowledge it, just let him cope how he needed to. When he was phased in, the other guys could feel his concern that he could never find love because he didn't have the spirits to help him out with an imprint.

Embry and Quil thanked the spirits for their imprint every day. Without it they may never have admitted their feelings for each other. Now they had each other forever and they were in their own little bubble of bliss. 

Quil had to be gone before Ms. Call got home so they needed to say their goodbyes. They were never apart long, but it was still physically painful to be apart, especially to sleep.

Embry walked Quil to the front porch and kissed him goodbye. It started out innocent enough but they quickly got carried away. Hands grabbed at shoulders and ass cheeks. Blunt nails scraped down backs and through hair. Teeth clicked and tongues wrestled. Moans and 'I love you's escaped between heavy breaths.

It was nearly midnight so they didn't expect anyone to be driving by and they certainly weren't paying attention even if they did. They continued their battle of tongues and lips until they heard tires screech in front of the house.

"You will stop that right now, boy! Get in the damn car right this instant," Old Quil bellowed from the rolled down driver's window.

_ Fuck. _

The short drive home was silent and not a word was spoken as Quil followed his grandfather into the house, moving at a surprising clip for a man with a cane. Old Quil burst in the front door and was already screaming for Joy to get up.

She came shuffling out of the hallway into the living room pulling a fuzzy robe over her pajamas and demanded to know what had the old coot all worked up. When she saw Quil shuffle in the door behind him looking dejected, she had a pretty good idea where this was going.

"I come home from bingo and I see my own grandson pawing all over that Call boy. I knew this one was a disgrace, but to corrupt another fine young man on my Reservation? It's unbelievable!"

Quil was finally able to speak up for himself, "Embry is my imprint, Grandpa. It was blessed by the spirits!" He hoped the imprint would convince this old bigot that his views were outdated and didn't belong to the Quileute tribe, just the white settlers that had tried to indoctrinate the tribe in their Christian beliefs.

Joy would defend her son until her last breath, "They love each other, you old bastard." Quil had told his mother all about Embry. He was so proud of his imprint and absolutely overflowing with love. He was happy to tell anyone who would listen.

"But it's unnatural!" Old Quil bellowed, refusing to listen to his daughter-in-law.

"But it really isn't, I saw a documentary! It was on the discovery channel and everything! Plenty of animals in real life practice homosexual behavior. But that's besides the point. This is about my boy who is an honored protector. Are you really saying the spirits made a mistake with the imprint? You're denying their wisdom?" Joy demanded. She hated that her son was being prosecuted. She didn't understand it, but she sure as hell was going to support him no matter what.

"The imprint is a farce. They are lying to cover their sins and bringing down the image of the protectors in the process. It's unforgivable, Joy. How can you stand for this?" Old Quil would not be swayed.

Quil sat on the front porch in tears, listening to the argument continue inside. Old Quil had given them an ultimatum: Either Quil give up Embry or he move out. There would not be a disgrace living in the Ateara household. Joy Ateara née Rivers was from the Makah reservation originally and without her husband, it was within the council's right to demand that she leave. Usually having a Quileute child would be enough to allow her to stay but Old Quil was determined to kick him out too.

Quil had no desire to stay where he was unwanted. He stormed back inside and Old Quil flinched. He may be a stubborn old bigot, but he was terrified of his grandson who now towered over him at 6'2" with a massive bulk of muscle. Quil had always been a sturdy guy, but now he was downright intimidating. Quil thought that perhaps his grandfather was jealous that the wolf gene skipped his generation, but he didn't care to speculate on the hateful man's motivations and linger in this house any longer. It was no longer a home.

"I'm leaving, you don't need to kick me out. I will never deny Embry, my  _ imprint, _ " Quil's voice was bold and unwavering. "Mom, go back to Makah. Stay with family that actually cares for you."

"But who will mind the store?" Old Quil gasped.

Joy was incredulous and had to stop herself from laughing in the old man's face.

"You think I would do you any favors after the way you are treating my son? Your  _ grandson?  _ You already stripped me of the Ateara name even though I loved your son with all of my heart. My Quil would have been ashamed of you, old man."

"There are always people in need of work on the rez, just ask the council who could use a job. We certainly need nothing from you," Quil spit out before pushing past his grandfather and throwing what he needed in a few bags. Like everyone on the rez, they didn’t exactly live in opulence, so his belongings consisted of just clothes and a few things for school.

The last thing he grabbed was a shoebox of small valueless items that meant the world to Quil. His favorites were a pocket knife his dad had given him the Christmas before his boating accident, a collection of notes from Embry passed between desks throughout their years of school, a chocolate colored wolf Embry had carved him, and his dad's lighter that had Quil IV carved haphazardly on the bottom by hand. He made sure his mother had grabbed the photo album that had all of the pictures from before his dad died and Quil took any family pictures off of the wall.

Quil grabbed the bags him and his mother had packed and they stepped back out onto the porch without a look back.

"Junior, I can't leave you here. Come with me," Joy insisted.

"You know I can't leave the pack, Mom, I'll be fine." He tried to keep his voice steady.

"Where will you go?" Joy pleaded.

"I have a whole pack of brothers. You know how our community is, we take care of our own. And I'll get my own place soon enough. Maybe Embry can live with me," Quil smiled a watery smile before pulling his mother into a near bone-crushing hug.

"Young man, you will not live with your partner before you are married. That's not how I raised you!" Joy couldn't help but mother him even in a moment like this.

Even if he was being chastised, he didn't mind one bit. It at least felt like something was still normal. He put their things in the back of his truck that used to belong to his father. Joy had kept it all these years so her son could drive it one day too.

"I'll take you to the Makah rez, Mom. It's the least I can do for getting you kicked out of your home for my disgusting ways," Quil chucked trying to force some brevity into the shitty situation.

"I have one more thing I need to do before we go, Junior, " she said, climbing into the passenger side of the cab of the truck. "Take me to the Call's house."

Quil was nervous about what she was going to do but the drive was short so he didn't have too long to dwell on it. He was instructed to stay in the car before she walked up to knock on the front door. Quil of course could still hear every word if he rolled the windows down and he shamelessly eavesdropped.

Joy nodded at Embry's mother before stepping passed her into the home to embrace Embry as tight as she could. Even on her tip toes the tiny woman reached his lover's sternum. Stepping further into the house, Tiffany Call closed the door behind Joy so now Quil could only listen.

His mother told Embry how she was leaving and it was his job now to look after her "sweet little pumpkin". Quil blushed in the car and wished he could see the heart-stopping smile that was surely on Embry's face right now.

Quil's heart overflowed with love for his mother as his eyes overflowed with tears at her next words.

"I give you two my whole hearted blessing. I wish nothing but the best for you both. I'm so sorry that you will have to overcome hurdle after hurdle in such a small minded community, but you have my full support."

Quil could hear Embry's muffled "thank you, Mrs. Ateara." He was probably speaking into her shoulder as he hugged her again. His Embry was a hugger.

Joy continued, "I'll be back so keep my boy safe, you hear?"

"Of course, I will. With my life," Embry insisted, "But when will you be back? Quil is going to miss you like crazy."

"Old Quil won't live forever, you know." Quil could just picture the raise of her brow.

"That's fucking dark, Mrs. Ateara," Embry chuckled.

"Watch your language, young man. You'll be my son-in-law someday so you better start earning some brownie points." Quil could hear goodbyes and well wishes and he rolled the windows back up so he wouldn't hear anything else unless he really tried.

Quil was nearly sobbing in the truck now, forehead on the steering wheel. Even if his grandfather was a bastard, his mother loved him enough for the both of them.

He could see his mother walking back to the truck but he could still hear Embry's voice from the house. He looked up and saw him standing in the doorway.

"I know you can hear me, babe. I love you and we'll take care of you. I'll take care of you. Always. Go and I'll be here for you when you get home."

Embry blew him a small kiss and went back inside, knowing Quil was crying too hard to say anything back.  _ Home. _ Home was where Embry was.

Joy was at the driver side door with a weak smile, "Scoot on over, Junior. You're in no state to drive."

Quil was overcome with love and appreciation for this tiny woman. He didn't have it in him to say anything so he just slid over the bench seat to make room. He finally started to catch his breath, just the occasional hiccup. His mom pulled the truck back onto the road and said one last thing, making Quil cry harder than he had even at the funeral.

"Your father would be so proud of you, sweetheart."

Embry sat at the kitchen table with his mother in silence. A word hadn't been spoken since Joy Ateara had left nearly an hour ago. It was approaching two in the morning, but neither of them would be sleeping any time soon. He watched every emotion possible come over his mother's face while they sat here, but he was going to wait for her to say her piece.

Tiffany Call was a busy woman and unfortunately had grown distant from her son these past few years. She worked two jobs to support them and was rarely home at the same time he was. She knew about the wolves and knew Embry was busy patrolling. She was proud of her son for the sacrifices he made to keep the rez safe, even if he wouldn't have chosen this life for himself. He took it all in stride.

Tiffany Call knew her son was a shape-shifting werewolf that fought vampires, but it took Joy Ateara bursting into her living room to find out her son was gay. She didn't have a problem that he liked boys, but she had a problem with finding out the way she did. She didn't want to be mad, she just wanted to know why he hadn't trusted her with this part of his life. Did he think she wouldn't approve? Was he afraid to receive the rejection Quil apparently had gotten from his grandfather? She would always love her son, no matter who he loved.

Maybe he would have gotten around to telling her. It's his choice how he comes out. She knew that. She didn't even suspect he liked boys. Maybe he just liked Quil and hasn't been attracted to others before? He didn't have to come out, she mentally shrugged. It's not like she would have expected him to sit her down and tell her if he liked girls?

There were a million questions flying around her head, but she knew one thing. Quil was family. He was before, as her son's best friend and he certainly was now as her son's soulmate.

_ Soulmate. _ Embry had a soulmate. Someone to make him happy. Her son was going to be happy and the spirits had blessed him with an imprint to push the boys in the right direction. They were made for each other and Tiffany was thrilled she never had to worry about her precious boy getting his heart broken.

But now Quil was in trouble. She wanted to do whatever she could to help Embry help his soulmate. Mate? Boyfriend? Life partner? Semantics, they'd figure that part out later. They would help Quil. She looked up from her mug of tea and met Embry's eyes across the table where they had been sitting in silence since Joy left. Embry looked tortured, waiting for his mother's reaction.

She stood up, kissed his cheek and ran a hand through his short hair like she did when he was little. She couldn't describe the love she felt for her son. She wished she could help carry his burdens. She would do what little she could.

She stood over him in his chair at the dining table with her hand on his cheek and she was still barely taller. She met his eye as a tear slipped down his face. Wiping it away with her thumb she finally spoke in a low scratchy voice.

"He's not sleeping in your room, obviously, but he's welcome here as long as it's needed."

The smile that stretched across Embry's face was enough to keep her heart happy for the rest of her days.

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Paul's new favorite color was the dusty rose pink hue of Bella's nipples. If one of the guys heard him think that, they would probably call him gay but all he'd have to do to disuade them is remember the sight before him now. And how fucking hard it made him.

They were in his bed on the silver grey sheets that matched his fur. A clever gift from Bella for Valentine's Day a few weeks back. And wow, were they amazing. He thought it was weird at first because sheets are sheets, right? But women are brilliant and these sheets were so soft. He never wanted to get out of bed again, especially if this vixen was there with him. He was sitting up against the headboard and Bella was straddling his lap. They found themselves in this position quite frequently because they both loved the tempting friction Bella could achieve with the slightest motion.

Paul was surprised he was okay  _ (more than okay)  _ with being under her like this. With any other woman, he would never have taken a submissive stance by letting them be above him. But the wolf loved having his mate in charge and Paul had no complaints.

They were both undressed from the waist up. They had an unspoken rule to never get completely naked with each other. Or at least only one at a time. Paul was waiting for Bella to be the one to initiate that last step. For them, sex wasn’t just sex. It was a lifelong, soul-altering commitment. He was going to let her take her time. Besides, they had the rest of their lives to have sex. Paul never wanted to push her into something she wasn't ready for, so he chose to think of it as weeks and weeks of foreplay. With a build-up like that, it was going to be worth the wait in his mind.

He kissed down her neck, paying closer attention to the spot he'd like to mark someday. He continued his trail of kisses down past her collarbone and down the valley between her breasts. His hands were massaging her flesh sensually and she was practically purring. Paul squished her tits together and blew a raspberry back and forth, motorboating her perfect breasts.

She laughed the most beautiful, genuine laugh that made Paul soul-deep happy.

"Ya know, I've always wanted to do that," he smiled up at her. She had the faintest mist of happy tears sticking to her eyelashes when her laughter finally died down.

"You think that's funny, Princess?" he asked around a mouthful of nipple. The other was getting pinched and played with and she moaned. One hand's fingers were latched onto the only hair long enough to hold onto on the top of his crew cut. The other was cupping the back of his neck trying to keep him right there.

Every suck of her perfect pink peak was followed by a squirm and a moan. Someday he'd try to make her cum with just nipple play, but they didn't have time today because he had patrol soon. He gently pulled on her nipple with his teeth this time and she burst back into laughter.

"That part wasn't supposed to be funny, did that tickle?" he asked with a raise of his eyebrow.

"No, no, I loved it. Definitely do that again," she still chuckled, now covering her breasts with her hands. "It just reminded me of when Jake nearly bit my nipple off and I thought it was really funny."

He muttered under his breath something that sounded like, " _ Dumb boy with donkey teeth,"  _ before speaking up so she could hear. "I thought it was your rule to not talk about best friends in bed. You can't talk about the Baby Chief or my not-so-baby chief will go flaccid and I was reeeeally hoping you'd suck my cock."

"Wow, Paul, that's rather forward. Being quite presumptuous, don't you think?" she bit her bottom lip trying to hide a smile.

"I'd believe you if I didn't hear your heart rate skyrocket," he crooned, pulling her lip from her teeth with his thumb. "You love the idea of sucking my cock." He pushed his thumb between her lips, mimicking what he desperately hoped she would do to a different appendage.

She licked the tip of his thumb slowly before pulling it from her mouth with a *pop*.

She raked her nails down his chest, leaned in to brush her lips just over his and whispered, "Not as much as you love the idea of me sucking your cock. Just think about my lips wrapped around your massive, rock hard -"

He cut her off with a forceful kiss, holding her to him with a hand on the back of her neck, the other still on her breast. Her hands were frantically trying to free him from his pants. With one last pinch to her perfect dusty rose-pink nipple, he broke the kiss allowing her to duck her head and take him into her mouth as far as she could.

"Gahhh your mouth is perfect, Princess," was the last coherent sentence either of them said for a while.

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Jake and Quil were running the borders, nose to the ground, sniffing out any trace of trouble when they felt two shimmers of the next shift phasing in for patrol. They ran to a clearing by the residential part of the rez and were met by a wolfy Embry and Paul.

_ Jesus Paul, did you bathe in her? Couldn't you take a shower before phasing?  _ Jake complained.

Quil and Embry were too busy licking each other's muzzles to join in on the banter.

Paul tried with everything to not imagine what a shower with Bella would be like. That definitely needed to happen soon. Instead, he thought of the angelic sound of her laugh from earlier.

Jake picked up on something from the older wolf's mind.  _ What the hell, Paul? Why are you imagining me with fucking beaver teeth? _

_ Do you really want to know?  _ Paul let slip an image of Bella laughing with her hands over her breasts and Jake instantly knew what she had told Paul.

Jake tried to defend himself,  _ it was an accident. I didn't mean to bite down like that, I swear. _

_ Yeah, whatever helps you sleep at night. Maybe you can practice on Bella again sometime. _

_ Really?  _ Jake perked up at the idea, his ears flicking up in excitement.

_ Fuck no, Squarepants. If you thought I was serious for one second, you're dumber than I thought. _

Quil and Embry were rolling on the forest floor laughing in the pack mind at their best friend.

_ Dude, you need to get laid,  _ Embry suggested and Quil agreed.

_ Yeah dude, it's great. 10/10 would recommend. I see what all the hype was about. _

_ Gross, I don't want details,  _ Jake had spent the last few hours being subjected to slips of metal images of what Quil thought was so great.

Embry crooned at his imprint,  _ Don’t worry what he thinks, babe. it's not gross, it's beautiful. _

Paul wanted to shut this down before he had to witness another colorful glimpse of Quil's imagination regarding all the things he liked to do to Embry's ass.

_ Quil, go home. We've got borders to run. You two can fuck each other senseless when we're done. _

This is exactly why Embry and Quil weren't allowed to patrol together anymore after what happened last time...

_ QUIL MOTHERFUCKING ATEARA!  _ Jake bellowed into everyone's head.  _ I do not need a reminder of what happened last time.  _ ** _PHASE OUT._ **

Quil phased out with a *pop* echoing across the radio silent static of the stunned pack mind. Paul finally was able to form everyone's thoughts into a coherent question.

_ Was that an Alpha command, Baby Chief? _

They knew Jake was well and truly freaked when he didn't even bristle at Paul's nickname for him.

_ I...I don't know. Yes? I can't be ready. I'm not ready. _

But his wolf was.

The next couple of hours were uneventful. There had been no new scents or trails of leeches passing through. Jake had run home without another word and Paul didn’t want to dwell the Alpha command incident. Not his problem. Embry and Paul were on opposite sides of the rez following the same loop of the borders. The two wolves were doing their best to ignore the other's thoughts and just enjoy the feeling of flying through the trees on four paws.

The speed was probably the best part of being a wolf. Sure, super senses and the fast healing were cool, but the feeling of the wind in your fur and the test of agility of dodging trees was unbelievable. The boys liked to run along the highway in the trees and see how slow the cars were going. It really puts the speed into perspective when you easily overtake a car going 70 miles per hour.

It was nearly noon now and Paul was thinking about how the pack dynamics would change if Jake took over as Alpha. Sam had suggested that Paul would make a good second. Would he? He had never taken on any sort of leadership responsibilities before. Did he really want to be in charge of a pack of puppies?

He scoffed to himself. What else was he going to do? He didn't have much of a career going for him. Just the occasional days doing manual labor for Jared's Dad's construction company. He couldn't do that forever. He actually had someone else to live for now. Maybe taking on some responsibility within the pack would be a good stepping stone towards adulting. Building a life with Bella was his purpose now.

But he needed help. She was a problem solver, he'd ask Bella. They could come up with some job options. She's the kind of person that would like...make a pros and cons list or something.

_ LEECH, PAUL. I'VE GOT A LEECH. _

It came out as a howl that echoed across the reservation to alert the rest of the pack.

Paul could see where Embry was running up from the southern side of the rez. They caught glimpses here and there of dark hair zigzagging through the trees. The leech was headed west towards the coast where the houses were. Embry was coming in from the south and Paul from the north, gaining ground with each step. The wolves could see each other in their peripheral now and more voices entered the pack mind. Sam was zeroing in behind Embry. Jake had been closest from where he was on the beach, but he couldn't run across town as a wolf so he had to make it into the trees before he could phase.

The bloodsucker was leaping amongst the trees less than half a mile from the first row of homes. The wolves could see the edges of back yards from here. They couldn't let him get to the people on the rez.

The wolves had converged under the tree where the leech was perched. He was dark skinned just like the vamp Bella described. Dreadlocks swung in the breeze, the ceramic beads clinking with each movement.

Laurent just laughed down at the snarling wolves before jumping from tree to tree, getting closer to the houses with each leap. Quil and Jared still weren't even close.

Embry pointed out the obvious.  _ We can't climb trees with paws, Sam. How do we get him? _

Sam phased back and jumped for a branch.

"Mon dieu," the leech drawled in a heavy French accent, "what a fun party trick."

Sam jumped up from the branch and made a grab for his ankle, but Laurent jumped to another tree at the last second.

Jake saw the flaws of Sam's plan. He didn't have any better ideas, but he knew his brother's strengths and weaknesses. Billy had once told him that a great leader doesn't have all the best skills, he knows how to utilize the man with the best skills. And Jake knew who their best strategist was.

_ Paul, what do we do? _

Sam was still jumping from branches trying to get a hold of the leech. Paul had a plan.

_ We're not going to get it this way. We outnumber him so we can maneuver him away from the houses if we put ourselves between him and the rez. Circle around. _

But Sam was still human and didn't hear Paul's instruction. They were still jumping between trees, but even with his increased speed and agility, a human Sam was no match for a vampire.

Before the wolves could execute Paul's idea, Laurent had jumped down into the backyard belonging to none other than Harry and Sue Clearwater.

The pack froze. It had all happened so fast. Sam stood just outside of the trees, naked as the day he was born. Jake, Paul, and Embry were flanking him. Jared and Quil weren't even phased in yet. They could have missed the warning call all together or would be on their way soon.

All of the wolves hoped for the latter.

Laurent had an evil smile cracking his face in half. Menacing yellowed teeth, blood red eyes, and a slight glisten to his skin from what little sunlight broke through the cloud cover.

"You killed my Victoria."

It wasn't a question.

"I was hoping to find her before she did something idiotic like get turned to ashes. She came to avenge her James and you killed her. If I got to her first, I could have... convinced… her to forget James, forget the gullible brunette, and run away with me."

Paul growled at the reference to Bella.  _ We have to get him moving again. Away from innocent people. We are exposed right now. I don't give a shit what he has to say. Jake phase back and talk to him. Maybe if we piss him off he'll come to us. _

Jake stepped out next to Sam. He remembered what Bella had told them about this leech.

"Weren't you supposed to be in Alaska draining bears instead of humans?" Jake prodded.

"I was waiting for those imbecilic Cullens to leave. Mon Victoire wasn't supposed to return for the girl alone but she was impatient, ma chérie."

Jake stepped forward into a crouch, "You will meet the same fate, bloodsucker!"

Laurent was calm. Terrifyingly calm. Even as Jake and Sam phased back into their towering russet and ebony forms and stepped toward the leech. The others inched out of the trees.

"Stop," he said, holding up a hand, "You do not want to do that. You will let me go unharmed to return another day to complete my lost companion's charge. The girl will die. Goodbye you mutts."

The leech casually walked back through the wolves like it was a stroll through a garden of statues. As soon as he was past the last wolf, he was gone in the blink of an eye.

Nobody moved.

The pack mind was eerily quiet. A low hum replaced the usual chatter of thoughts. The wolves' panting breaths were the only sound or movement coming from the four wolves in the Clearwater's backyard.

The silence was broken by two more voices entering the pack mind.

Quil's apology echoed through their daze.  _ Sorry guys, I just got back from dropping my Mom off at the Makah rez and I woke this lazy asshole up on the way here. _

Jared still sounded sleepy even in his thoughts.  _ Sorry, Sam, I was dead on my feet after patrol. I didn't even hear it. _

Quil reached the pack first, skidding to a halt as his chocolate brown wolf.  _ What are we doing here, did Seth phase? _

_ Nah we would have heard him. What's going on guys? Why's it so quiet?  _ Jared came running up behind Quil and walked right up to Sam, bumping him with his shoulder in a lupine greeting.

The touch snapped him out of his stupor and Sam recalled what just happened with the leech. Jake, Paul, and Embry came to as well as if someone hit "play" on a cosmic television remote. They showed Quil and Jared the whole encounter with the leech but nobody had any explanations of how he got away.

Jared was incredulous.  _ You let him just WALK AWAY? Paul he is after your imprint, how did you just let him go? _

Paul had never felt more unsure in his entire life.  _ I don't know, I have no idea what happened. He said we'd let him live and we just...did. _

A loud crash came from the Clearwater's home. Broken glass, the sound of drywall cracking, furniture being scraped across the floor. Finally an agonized scream that ended in a howl.

Sam jumped into action.  _ Sounds like we've got a new brother. Jake, Paul, and Jared take off after the leech. Maybe we can follow a scent and catch up. We'll figure out what happened later. _

Jake bristled at the order but followed his brothers into the woods before Sam continued giving out directions.

_ Quil and Embry, you'll stay here with me and we'll get Seth through this. I'm gonna need the help if he takes off running. Especially with a leech roaming around. _

They could all hear and  _ feel _ Seth's panic from where he was crouched in his living room trying to make himself as small as possible. Every movement was breaking more of his parents' things. His thoughts were just an endless  _ no, no, no, no, no, no, no…. _

Both Harry and Sue Clearwater were on the council so Seth must have known about the legends because being a wolf wasn't what scared him. Instead he was whimpering because he was watching his sister going through the same thing. The wolves all faltered in their step when yet another howl echoed across the rez…

_ Leah Clearwater. _

_ Revised 9/30/2020 _


	7. Chapter 7

Leah's howl cut through the air like a knife straight into Sam's chest.

_ Lee Lee. _

_ Don't call me that, you son of a bitch! _

Leah and Seth were both in the trees just past their backyard now. Seth was laying on his stomach with his paws over his eyes. The vertigo of having so many views in his head at once was overwhelming. He could see Jake, Paul and Jared chasing the scent trail of the leech and he could see himself in the eyes of the wolves here. Seth thought he was going to hurl. Can wolves vomit? Seth was about to find out.

Leah was completely unaffected. She was pacing back and forth protectively between Seth on the ground and Sam and the three wolves watching on. Sam, Quil, and Embry cringed at the anger practically rolling off of Leah in waves. Sam tried to reassure Leah once again.

_ Leah, we can explain. The legends- _

** _STAND DOWN, ULEY._ **

All three wolves were thrown back off their feet by an invisible yet tangible force. Paul and Jared stumbled out of step in their chase, falling through the underbrush. Jacob's wolf preened and ran faster.

Sam was most familiar with the legends having spent all his time reading whatever he could get his hands on before Jared became a wolf too. He immediately recognized, without a doubt, the pure embodiment of power before him.

_ The Alpha Female. _

There hadn't been an Alpha Female in the Quileute tribe since the very first pack, centuries ago. It was one of the wolf legends that was so old the elders weren't sure if that's all it was, just a legend. But standing before him now, Sam knew that their pack had their very own piece of history in the flesh.

Just as in nature, shifter wolves can have a male and female alpha pair that lead the pack as a team. Sam could feel a physical shift in power and he knew without a doubt that Jacob's wolf had just taken over the pack and Leah's phasing had everything to do with it.

Jake turned back around, instructing Paul and Jared to follow.  _ We're coming back. This leech is long gone. We need to figure out how the fuck he got away and we need to talk about what just happened. I'm sure you can all feel the difference. Something has changed. _

Jake's voice resonated through the pack mind with a deep bass and authority that Sam had never carried. He skidded to a halt where the rest of the pack was still waiting. His wolf towered over them like he never had before.

Jared and Paul were right behind him and joined the group sitting behind Leah. Seth was on the ground in front of Jake still scared shitless and shaking. This boy was barely fourteen, just a child. His wolf was smaller than all the rest and his temperament reminded the pack of a scared puppy. Jake nudged Seth's paws with his nose encouraging him up off of his belly. When Seth finally stood and shook out his sandy brown far, he barely made it to Jake's chest.

_ Come on, Omega, you're gonna be fine. _

Jacob recognized that his wolf was leading him through this. The man felt lost, but the wolf was right at home as Alpha and with  _ her _ . His gaze was fixed on Leah pacing in front of him. Her light grey fur was beautiful and shiny like silver. He stepped around Seth and stood in front of her until she was forced to stop pacing in front of him, meeting him eye to eye. She stood tall and squared her shoulders as best she could in wolf form.

And she never broke eye contact.

She was his equal and did not need to submit by looking to her paws. He was so proud of her for standing her ground. She was magnificent and she was  ** _HIS._ **

Instead of feeling threatened or angry at this man's possessiveness, Leah practically purred because the woman and the wolf knew he was also  ** _HERS._ **

Leah was nearly two years older than Jake and they were barely acquaintances as kids. Seth had followed Jake around like a puppy so he had spent enough time with the Clearwaters to know about Leah. He knew her more recent history with Sam and Emily as well. The whole rez could see how angry she was these days.

The pack wasn't surprised to feel anger resonating off of her. They knew she was still mad about the Sam and Emily situ-

_ THAT IS NOT WHAT MAKES ME ANGRY, YOU ASSHOLES. _

Leah turned from Jake to address what nearly the whole pack had been speculating.

_ I'm angry because nobody fucking told me I was about to turn into a giant wolf. I figured it out on my own and tried to warn Seth, but he didn't believe me. My hearing has been improving for weeks and they hold council meetings two walls away from my goddamn bedroom! I knew weeks ago the real reason Sam left. Before, I thought he must have cheated on me or that I was just un-fucking-lovable. But when I heard my dad talking about imprints and how Sam hadn't imprinted on me, I was grateful that he was strong enough to do what was best for me in the long run. I was never the Martha Fucking Stewart homemaker he wanted anyways. _

Sam couldn't even put words to the gratitude he felt towards Leah and her understanding, mature response to learning the truth. He never wanted to hurt her. He really did love her. But she wasn't his imprint. He had tried to make it work at first. Emily came into town to plan the wedding and Sam broke the engagement off without a real explanation. He was terrified he was going to cheat on Leah. The magnetism made it feel inevitable. She didn’t deserve that and Sam only wanted the best for his first love. All the boys could hear was a steady stream of

_ Thank you. I'm sorry. Thank you. I'm sorry. Thank you. I'm sorry. Thank you.. _

The shared mental space of the pack mind had never felt so raw and overwhelming. Each wolf thought back to their first phase, each too distracted in their own memories to bother to filter out the pain and terror that they usually tried to brush over. They all wished someone had warned them.

Jake was blown back by the tidal wave of memories that made his first phase look like a walk in the park. Becoming a wolf brought only positive change to his life. He didn’t have to hide the secret from his family or friends. Not even Bella. It had saved him from ruining their friendship by trying to date. He didn’t get stuck in his wolf form for days like some of the guys. He just knew. He couldn’t relate to the pain or tragedy his brothers endured. The guilt weighed heavy on his soul. 

What could he have done? That’s just how things were. It was a secret! And even if they had warned Seth, nobody knew Leah was going to phase too.

Seth had been showing signs of an imminent phase for weeks, so the pack had been keeping an eye on him. Because of Sam and Leah's history, the wolves had been avoiding her. Sam wasn't bothered by her presence, he just hated to see the anger and anguish in her eyes. It haunted him still how he had hurt her. She was his first love, after all, and even with the imprint he cared deeply for her. It just wasn't the same love anymore. Even when they were together, what he felt for Leah was paled by the intensity of his love and devotion to Emily. Sam wasn't an asshole. He didn't want to rub his new relationship in Leah's face so he had avoided her.

Even Harry and Sue Clearwater were so preoccupied with their son's rising temperature and mood swings that they didn't see the change in their daughter. Her anger was brushed off as that of a scorned woman and they had left her to overcome her broken heart on her own.

Jake was angry listening to everyone's pity and sadness for the girl they didn't understand and most of them feared. He needed a minute to get his head around what was happening. He didn't want to be having this kind of meeting as wolves. It was too important to be discussed over the background noise of every passing thought these morons can't keep to themselves.

_ Hey, man. Who you calling morons?  _ Quil mock argued.

Ignoring him, Jake gave out orders.  _ Everyone else go and meet back at my house in an hour. Bring the girls too. And walk back on two feet. _

_ We can still meet at my place, I've got more room.  _ Sam piped up.

_ Thank you, Sam. That's one hour, guys.  _ ** _Phase out._ **

One by one they phased back leaving the new Alpha with the Clearwater siblings. Jake could feel Leah poking into his head absorbing as much information about this new world as she could. She was smart, she wanted to be ahead of the game. Jake found that quality rather attractive, but he was trying to keep those sort of thoughts locked down in his mind.

Jake focused instead on Seth. First things first, they needed to get Seth human again. He wanted to know what caused them to phase and Jake figured thinking about something else would help calm him down enough to phase back. Jake urged him on,

_ Tell me what happened. _

He watched the scene play out from Seth's point of view. Leah and Seth had been bickering like any siblings might. It started when Seth kept changing the channel to ESPN while Leah was trying to watch one of her dumb girl shows. Wrestling over the remote and calling each other names turned into snarling wolves nipping at each other's flank. They broke all of the furniture in the Clearwater's living room and Seth was terrified of their mom's reaction when she saw the damage.

Thank the spirits their parents weren't home or they might have just keeled over from a heart attack at the shock of it all. Jake tried to reassure the omega pup that their parents wouldn't care about the living room. The pride they felt for their children being protectors would overshadow any negative reaction in an instant.

Seth was no closer to phasing back. In fact, reliving his first panicked transformation probably wasn't going to help. Instead Leah talked Seth through some of his favorite childhood memories and the boy was on two feet in no time. Leah was a natural. The love and protectiveness she felt for Seth was profound and it made Jake's heart hurt. He instructed Seth to go get something for Leah to wear from inside and he took off through their backyard to get them both clothes. Jake sighed. He was finally alone with his..

Wait, with his what?

_ I didn't imprint if that's what you're wondering.  _ Leah tried to help.

_ Yeah, I didn't imprint either. I can't imprint with my Alpha birthright, but this is...something? It's really cool how much you already know about this stuff, Leah. _

She explained what she had already read in her research through the legends once she realized what was happening to her. Jake was in awe. He knew she felt something for him too because he could feel everything reflected back to him through their shared mental space. But what if that was just her wolf respecting his wolf? Not Jake, the man.

He didn't know what to do from here. The giant russet wolf paced back and forth anxiously. He needed to talk to his dad. But first, he needed to get Leah to phase back, but he would wait until Seth was back with clothes for her. The echo of his thoughts made him realize he couldn't hear her anymore...

He turned back around to see a very naked Leah Clearwater. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest, but Jake could tell it wasn't for modesty. She proved him right by moving her hands to her hips and shifting her weight impatiently. Holy spirits she was beautiful. Her skin was smooth, an even copper tone that brought out the cinnamon tones in her brown eyes. Her raven hair was pin straight and fell nearly to her waist. Jacob was heartbroken that she would have to cut it for the wolf. Her silver grey fur had been beautiful, but impractically shaggy.

"Do you need help phasing back, puppy?" Leah asked with a sarcastically sympathetic pout.

Jake fluidly stood up on his hindlegs onto two human feet. He wasn't as confident as Leah apparently was and he cupped his manhood with both hands. Leah didn't try to hide the fact that she was blatantly raking her eyes up and down his body. He felt a blush heat the tips of his ears at her attention. It took everything in his considerable power to not get an erection from this kind of female attention. Especially when she was stark naked. Neither of them had spoken, instead they took inventory of their intended mate.

He was surprised that it took him this long to look over her um..assets. There were too many more prominent facets to her beauty than to degrade her by just ogling her tits. They were some phenomenal tits though. Bigger than he had expected. She seemed like the kind of girl that preferred sports bras. Jake had two sisters, he knew more than he'd like to admit about types of bras and Leah didn't have anything to prove. His eyes followed her toned stomach and appreciated the muscles there. Bella wasn't toned like that. She was the kind of girl that was soft in the middle and only skinny thanks to genetics. Leah had a six pack and Jake never knew how fucking sexy that was on a woman.

It was getting hard to hide his boner while he appreciated her neatly trimmed landing strip leading the way down to her umm...happy place. God, he was glad she couldn't hear his thoughts at the moment. His eyes snapped back to her face when she cleared her throat.

"I'm sorry," Jake sputtered out.

Leah just shrugged before meeting his eyes, "For what? I'm not sorry. If we were still wolves we'd be sniffing each other's assholes. Did you want to sniff my asshole?"

Jake choked out an awkward laugh at her question, accidentally taking in a mouthful of an aroma that indicated that she quite liked the sight of him too. The scent of her arousal turned his brain even further into mush and he lost any ability to form words,

"I...uh..," Jake nervously ran his hand through his hair but quickly realized moving his hand meant half of his rock hard dick was exposed and he slapped it back in place with a wince.

"I'm just messing with you. Black," she smiled an actual smile. "I was checking out the goods too. I hope you're a little more self-assured in front of the pack. They're never going to take you seriously as a leader if you can't even string a sentence together. Are you a man?"

He squared his shoulders and feined the same confidence Leah radiated by dropping his hands to his sides. His heavy length fell forward, bobbing up and down until it steadied, standing tall and proud.

Leah's expression betrayed her tenacious facade as she took in the sight before her.

"Holy fuck, now that's a man if I've ever seen one."

Jake thanked every spirit in the sky that she had not seen him before the phase. He had nearly doubled in size, like the rest of his body. Before, he had secretly wanted Bella to know that his dick was bigger now, but he could honestly say he didn't care what she thought anymore. This belonged to Leah Clearwater and his wolf howled at the thought.

"What the hell, guys?!"

Seth was standing just inside the trees wearing a t-shirt and shorts that barely fit over his new muscles. He had his hands clamped over his eyes and the other hand held out what looked like a sundress for Leah.

Leah grabbed the dress from Seth with a laugh "Just a little game of 'I'll show you mine if you show me yours' with our new Alpha here."

Jake didn't bother correcting her to save face with Seth. He was her brother, Seth must be used to her by now. She pulled the dress over her head and tried to stretch it down so it covered a little more leg. The phase had definitely added a few inches to her height, putting her just above six foot.

"You're an alpha too, Leah."

Leah knew that she was also an Alpha, but she didn't really know what that meant yet. She'd read the legends and read about wolf pack dynamics, but in practice? She was in over her head. Biting sarcasm and wit were her coping mechanisms. If Jake could keep up with her on that front, he might be able to keep up with her as a mate.

She dropped the hem of her dress, accepting that it couldn't be stretched any longer. She'd just have to be real careful not to bend over until she could change into some clothes to better fit her new body.

"So now we go to Sam's?" Leah asked, returning her hands to her hips.

Jake looked like he was trying to do mental math. "We gotta talk to my dad first, but give me a minute."

She quickly realized what he needed a minute for. Jake had put his cutoffs back on sometime while she had been fiddling with her dress. He had his hands shoved awkwardly in his pockets and was bending forward at an awkward angle.

Leah listed, counting on her fingers as she went, "Dead kittens, the scent of Cold Ones, your grandma in lace panties, Benjamin Franklin in lace panties, dead kittens in lace panties."

"You could have stopped after leech stench, sicko" Jake grunted as he stood up straight.

"So dead kittens were still too much of a turn on for you?" Leah teased.

Jake barked a laugh, "It seems like you're the one that's got a thing for dead kittens."

"Hey, it worked," she shrugged, nodding towards his no longer tented crotch.

"What the hell is wrong with you two?" Seth stammered. They had completely forgotten about him. Again.

"Let's go pick up my dad," the older boy suggested, smacking Seth lightly on the shoulder and trying to contain his smile. “I want him at this meeting to tell the legend of Kaliso.”

Jake and Leah followed the path from their backyard into the trees. Even before all of this wolfy shit she knew these forests as well as she knew how to get around town. Her mind was racing, so she needed to get her body moving too. She wished she could run, but the stupid dress Seth grabbed was barely ass length and her little brother didn’t seem up for it. He was still frozen by the edge of their backyard.

“Chop, chop, little onion,” Leah called over her shoulder to get Seth moving.

If Jake made a list of the things he found attractive about Leah Clearwater, her wit would have been the top of the list. Jake spent the rest of the short walk mentally filling in the rest.

Billy Black looked unsurprised when his son slumped into the chair across the kitchen table and gave him the bullet points of the day’s events. When Jake got to the part about Leah, a hint of a smile and a glimmer of pride deepened the wrinkles around the old man’s eyes. Billy knew his son would be Alpha someday, but he had never imagined Jacob would have an Alpha Female at his side. His son could be a historic leader in the legends told for generations to come. Sarah would have been so proud. 

"You didn't bring the Alpha Female wolf to meet the Chief?" The elder playfully admonished.

"You've met Leah a million times, dad. She stayed with Seth in the woods. He already phased on accident on the walk here when Leah called him a puppy," Jake explained. "You'll have plenty of time to talk to her. I think she'll be around quite a bit." Jake tried not to sound too hopeful.

"And she is your wolf's intended? How do you feel about that, son?" Billy was concerned after Jake's (albeit short) relationship with Bella. The younger Black refused to talk about it, insisting that it was nothing and they are back to being friends. Billy didn't believe him at first until he saw them together at a bonfire. They really were back to being best friends and Jake even got along with Paul. Billy even speculated that the imprint helped Bella overcome the last of the symptoms of the vampire thrall still affecting her. Imprinting is some powerful magic.

But this wasn't an imprint between Jake and Leah and Billy was curious how it would affect the wolves involved. All the legends said about the Alpha Female was that she was meant to lead with the Alpha and be his partner. A partner in the leadership of the pack and a partner in life.

"My wolf is thrilled," Jake sighed. The legends may say the Alpha pair are to be mates but it all seemed too good to be true. He had been so worried and upset about not having an imprint and all of a sudden, presto! Wolfy magic saves the day? He didn't trust anything that came too easy.

"The wolf knows that she is our mate and I can feel that she recognizes it too. But that's her wolf. Leah, the woman, I'm not so sure about. I don't feel worthy to breathe the same air as her."

"You'll do well to treat her that way for the rest of your lives, son," Billy said with a sad twinkle in his eye. He would do anything to have another day to treat Sarah Black as the goddess that she was. "You have the opportunity to rise to the occasion. Be a strong man to stand next to your powerful woman."

"So if I'm Alpha now, is she my Second?"

"You still have to choose a Second. She is your equal. She is meant to balance you and you are meant to balance her."

Jake didn't want to go into detail with Billy on how he felt that she wasn't his equal. She was above him in so many ways. Jake had barely two months of experience as a wolf on her but that was where the list ended. She was strong, self-assured, brilliant, and could hold her ground. She'd be a fearsome fighter in no time, Jake was sure of it. She had the confidence to stand up to a pack of werewolves and command the reigning Alpha to back down. She was made for this.

But was he? 

xxXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The first wolves back to the Uley household were the original three. A nervous energy seemed to vibrate through the air as the pack members tried to keep themselves busy. It seemed symbolic that it was just the three of them right now. They had spent months as a pack of three, becoming closer than brothers. Now their numbers had more than doubled and they had not one, but two new Alphas.

Paul had never really felt submissive to Sam. Sam helped him through the phase and had talked the council into giving the wolves stipends when they realized none of them were going to be able to work enough to support themselves. Sam was a good guy, so Paul respected him. He listened to orders and ran his scheduled patrols because Sam was a genuinely good guy. Not because he held any real power over him. An Alpha command could knock Paul on his ass, but Sam used them so rarely that he didn’t feel like much of a threatening presence to the younger wolf.

Jared was blindly devoted to Sam as his Second. The role of Beta was the only thing Jared had going for him if you asked Paul. They had been friends growing up, but surprisingly, becoming pack brothers had made them feel more like coworkers than buddies. Mostly because now Paul saw into Jared’s mind. Sam’s thoughts were about trying to do what was best for everybody. Jared’s thoughts were always about what was best for himself and Kim. Usually in that order.

Paul had also been the only wolf in their trio without an imprint for all of those months. If there’s someone meant to balance the wolf, then how could they blame Paul for being a little unhinged without his magical life partner? They had someone to come home to that understood and didn’t need secrets and half-truths. Paul had the company of the first stranger he could talk into his bed and he didn’t stick around long enough to get chatty.

But now he had Bella. The world made sense again. 

He spent every possible second with her and it still wasn’t enough. He wanted her living on the rez with him. He didn’t care if she finished high school or never saw Charlie again, he just wanted her by his side. Where she was safe and he could touch her and smell her and never let her go.

That’s how Paul knew he had a problem. 

He had spent the last couple of weeks getting snippets of her time, taking every chance he got to absorb the peace she brought to his restless body. It was never going to feel like enough until she was living in his home and carrying his scent  _ properly. _ Bella hadn’t pushed their sexual boundaries any further, but Paul was patient. He couldn’t expect her to make such a weighted decision as easily as she decided to sleep with her best friend. There weren’t any cosmic, magically-binding consequences when she slept with Jake. 

So Paul would take what she offered and focus on getting to know her. They talked on the phone on school nights and he snuck into her window when Charlie worked the late shift. When he was on patrol he would make sure to include her little corner of Forks in his route. With this new threat he’d be outside her house every minute he could. Someone should always be watching her. 

Paul hadn’t taken his eyes off of Bella since they’d arrived at Sam and Emily’s for the pack meeting. As soon as Jake dismissed the pack, Paul ran as fast as he could to his house. When he left for his ill-fated patrol shift that morning, she was napping in his bed after their carnal activities. He was so relieved to find her cute little self wrapped in a blanket on the couch reading a book. His only words were “pack meeting” before he had scooped her up and carried her all the way to Sam’s, blanket and all.

Bella didn’t protest, she was just glad she had thought to put pants on when she had gotten out of Paul’s bed. Other than that first time after the imprint, Sam had never asked for the girls to come to pack meetings. Something must have changed and she could tell it wasn’t good because Paul spent the whole walk to Sam’s with his nose buried in the crook of her neck taking deep even breaths of her scent. If she could do this to comfort him, she’d let him sniff all day.

He reluctantly released her to the care of Emily when Bella offered to help in the kitchen. Emily was already elbows deep in preparing a meal to feed an army. Or to feed eight shape shifting wolves. Bella was on casserole assembly and Kim was stationed at the cutting board. Bella wasn't allowed to use knives after the third mishap. For someone who loves cooking so much, she sure knew how to accidentally add a chunk of her finger to a recipe.

The guys were instructed to stay in the living room and wait for the younger wolves. Paul got the boot for hovering over Bella as if Laurent was going to jump out of the pantry any minute. Jared had been kicked out of the kitchen for trying to steal bites. Sam knew better by now and tried to distract the anxious wolves with conversation that kept falling into an awkward silence.

They all had speculations on how the leech got away, but they figured they should wait for everyone to arrive to really dive into their various theories. Sam knew this meeting was going to be more about the change in power structure, but Paul wasn't letting anyone forget that his imprint was in grave danger. Bella's safety would definitely need to be discussed as well.

Nobody brought up Leah. They weren't sure how Sam was coping with it all and they didn't want to make anything worse than it already was. When the girls brought the first trays of food out to the long dining room table the guys jumped at the chance to keep busy. Emily was nearly as fidgety as the boys. She was both terrified and thrilled to see her cousin again. They used to be best friends and Emily missed her so much. Everyone in the house was silently wishing that the addition of Leah Clearwater to the pack would heal more wounds than it created.

The mood in the room got even more somber when Quil trudged in, three large duffel bags in hand.

"What'cha got there, Quil?" Jared asked.

"All of my worldly belongings, I'm technically homeless.” Quil shrugged. “It looks like it's gonna rain so I didn't want to leave it all in the back of the truck." For the severity of what he was saying, he sounded far too relaxed. As if the reality hadn't quite hit him yet.

"What?!" the room sounded as a whole.

"He kicked you out?!" Sam growled through gritted teeth. Having to work with the council as Alpha, Sam was well aware of how much of a bastard Old Quil was, but he didn't think he was this heartless.

"We knew it was coming," Quil sighed before flopping into an armchair. They could all tell he was done talking about it for now. "Where's Emb? I need him."

Nobody was cold enough to make a joke about Quil being needy when he was already so low.

"He's not here yet, I think he ran home first. But he should be here soon, probably sooner if he can feel your emotions half as well as Emily feels mine," Sam told the dejected looking wolf with a half hearted smile.

Not a minute later Embry came running in the backdoor. He was across the room and straddling Quil's lap in an instant, hands stroking through his hair and over his arms to soothe him. Watching an imprint in action was a beautiful thing. Both boys calmed down instantly with each other's touch. They took turns placing kisses and nuzzling along the sides of the other's faces and down their necks, the same greeting you'd see between lupine mates in nature. The two got lost in their own world as everyone started heading to the kitchen to make plates.

"It's been an hour, when are we starting Sam?" Jared asked around a mouthful of food.

"This isn't my meeting. We're still waiting for Brangelina."

Bella cracked up from her perch on Paul's lap, "I can't wait to see Jake's face when he hears that. He's always had a huge crush on Angelina Jolie so I'm sure he won't mind the comparison."

The pack got distracted by a conversation of which Angelina Jolie movie was the best while they waited for the rest of their family, all trying to ignore the uncomfortable electricity in the air.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jake parked on the gravel driveway of Sam's house. Leah and Seth were coming on foot, but they'd be here just as quick as he could drive. For once Jake was grateful his dad wasn’t much of a chatterbox. He had needed the short drive to try to make sense of it all.

His life had changed irrevocably the second Leah Clearwater phased. Everything was different and this pack meeting made it feel more official. This was his first meeting as Alpha and he hadn't even taken over on purpose. He needed to talk to Sam before he addressed the pack as a whole.

As if he had heard Jake's thoughts, Sam came out the front door to help get Billy and his chair inside. They lifted Billy, chair and all, up the porch steps in a practiced motion, but before Sam could open the screen and take this party inside, Jake stopped him with a hand on his old Alpha's arm.

"Jared, come help the Chief inside. We'll be a minute," Jake spoke at a conversational volume, knowing any wolf would hear from inside.

Jake had purposefully asked Jared for help. He knew the older wolf had been a devoted Second to Sam and was going to question the sudden change of leadership. As Jake expected, Jared looked to Sam when he came to the door. Jake cleared his throat and nodded to the screen door when Jared hesitated. A flash of anger crossed the older wolf’s features before he obeyed his new Alpha and opened the door for Billy to wheel himself in. Jake mentally added that to the long list of things he now had to deal with.

Jake and Sam walked to the end of the long driveway knowing that if they spoke in hushed tones, the pack wouldn't be able to hear unless they were really trying. Out of respect for the two men, they knew better than to try and eavesdrop.

Sam looked almost as troubled as Jake but for a multitude of different reasons. Sam broke the silence first.

"Congratulations, Alpha."

Sam's serious face sent Jake rambling. "I didn't mean to take over, Sam. I don't know what happened. My wolf just  _ knew _ it was time the second we felt her in the pack mind. And I know that you two have a history. Shit, the whole tribe knows your history but it's my wolf, man, my wolf just  _ knows.  _ She's a million miles out of my league but she's m-my..I don't know Sam, what is she? What if she doesn't even want to acknowledge our bond? What would-"

Sam cut through his new Alpha's panic attack the quickest way he knew how to get through that thick skull. Fist first. Jake found himself on the ground holding his bleeding face while Sam shook out his hand. He had probably broken a few knuckles.

Sam took a deep breath before helping Jake up and explaining, "My wolf won't let me do that again so try not to hyperventilate, man. I'll agree with you on one point there. She's way out of your league. She was out of my league too. Leah does not need a man, especially after the way I hurt her. She prides herself in not needing anyone. But as the Alpha pair, you need each other. I was a shit Alpha-"

Jake interrupted, "No, Sam, you-"

"Hey. Let's be honest with each other. I am not a dominant man or wolf. I'm just the poor sucker that phased first and got stuck doing your job." He punched Jake playfully on the arm before remembering the still broken bones.

"Fuck, Black! Give me like an hour before you say something else stupid so my hand can heal first,” Sam chuckled, clutching his hand to his chest. “Anyway, I don't want to be Alpha. Never did. I can't wait to retire whenever this leech problem goes away and try to start a family. You were born for this shit."

"I'm glad you and your wolf won't fight the change of power but what about Leah? She's my intended. My wolf  _ knows _ that. With your history…" Jake trailed off, not even sure what he was asking for. Permission?

"I have Emily. I still care for Leah, but we wouldn’t have lasted even without the imprint. It worked in high school, but in the real world? We wanted different things and we had completely different interests. She was my first love, but I don’t feel that way anymore. Especially since she phased. She feels like my sister now.” Sam shuddered dramatically, making Jake laugh. The older man got serious again, placing his good hand on Jake’s shoulder, “I’ve gotten to know you pretty well since you’ve phased and I think you're just what each other needs. Especially as Alphas leading together."

"You think so?" Jake was desperate for Sam's approval and support. Without it he felt that he'd never make it as a leader.

"You guys will be like wolfy Good Cop-Bad Cop," Sam suggested with a goofy grin that Jake had never seen on the elder's face before. This would be good for him.

"You're right, I can be pretty intimidating," Jake puffed his chest out.

"No way, dude. Leah is Bad Cop," Sam nearly fell over laughing.

The sound of Sam's easy laughter as he walked back to the house was all the reassurance Jake needed. Sam could finally take a deep breath, relax, and put all of the drama with Leah behind him. Alpha was never meant to be his responsibility. But this was Jake's birthright. This is what he had been born for, blessed by the spirits. He held his chin up and straightened his spine, following Sam's footsteps literally and figuratively. 

He could have sworn he grew another inch.

Leah was leaning against Billy's truck with her arms crossed and her legs stretched out, crossed at her delicate ankles. While stoic on the outside, she was anxiously doing everything she could to put off entering the home. She had waited for Sam and Jake to finish talking and gave Sam a tight lipped smile as he passed by her back into the house.

Seth had already headed into the house. He was eager to learn about all things wolf to try and mollify his anxiety. If they could do it, he could do it. If he stopped to think too much about how terrifying this all was then he would crumble in front of all of these older boys. His brothers. He needed to be tough. He could do it, he was a freaking werewolf! 

Leah was also less than thrilled about her new supernatural life, but at least she was part of the club now instead of suffering alone. She had a pack and a... whatever Jake was. They’d figure that out later. All she knew was that she could trust him. Before they came to Sam's, Jake had offered her a pair of baggy sweats and a t-shirt without a word. She was unsettled that he had seen right through her.

Leah was uncomfortable in the dumb sundress Seth had picked out, not because her ass was practically hanging out, but because she didn't want to seem like a girly-girl in front of this pack of boys. She wanted their respect and she didn't feel like she was going to get it dressed that way. Little did she know that as Alpha Female, she could have shown up dressed like a circus clown and they would still be quaking with respect and deference. 

She still felt like there was a she-wolf joke in there somewhere. The only girl in a pack of giant, rowdy boys. She squared her shoulders and stood up straight as Jake approached her.

"You ready?" Jake asked with a smile. That guy was always smiling. Leah wanted to deny the reaction that smile caused. It felt like a sedative, calming every overactive neron in her brain and relaxing every quivering muscle in her body. He led the way towards the front door with a gentle hand on the small on her back. She wanted to dig in her heels and run the other way, but Leah was no coward. 

The noise of overlapping conversations inside confirmed her worries. They were already a family and she was being thrown in, as their leader, no less. She didn't know what she was doing. She may have read the legends, but her confidence was all an act. These people had real experience and knowledge. Leah had been a wolf for what? Two hours?

The moment she stepped over the threshold was punctuated by a silence that happened so suddenly it echoed. Every lupine spine in the room straightened and nobody dared make direct eye contact. The other women in the room took a split second longer to realize what had happened, but their bond to the pack had their breaths frozen too.

Billy interrupted the painful silence, "I see you all have a healthy dose of respect for your new leader. It is my honor to introduce to you all to your Alpha Female."

Leah scanned the room and, of course, knew everyone already. The rez was a small place and everyone pretty much knew everyone. She even knew Bella from her visits. Leah played with the Black twins while the girl preferred to play with Jacob. Leah was surprised to see her now on Paul's lap. He was still ramrod straight at attention, but she could see how Paul had turned his body as if to shield Bella from any perceived threat. That was clearly an imprint. Leah would have expected Bella and Jake to end up together but once again, an imprint overrode what may happen naturally.

Seth had been sitting on the ground next to Billy's chair, probably bothering him with a million questions about the legends and being a wolf. She already knew Kim and Jared were a couple so that imprint made sense.

But the unexpected pair that must have been in a compromising position when they were frozen by her grand entrance were a bit of a shock. From her angle by the door she could see that Embry was straddling Quil's lap on the couch, both with kiss swollen lips, messed up hair, and faces turned to the door with wide eyes. Quil's hands were even still on Embry's ass.

Last, and most uncomfortable, was Sam standing by the dining table with dishes in hand. He must have been helping set the table. Leah wanted to fidget or stick her hands in her pockets or.. Something! But she wasn't going to break the trance the room was stuck in. But the awkwardness didn't last long when Emily pushed the swinging kitchen door open with her hip, her arms full of the world's largest (and best smelling) casserole. She really did look like Martha Fucking Stewart, apron and all.

Clearly Emily’s human ears had missed what was going on in the living room. She stumbled to a quick halt at the tense atmosphere she had walked into. Emily had been updated on Leah's understanding of the imprint, but they weren't going to be instant best friends again. There had been so much hurt that still needed to heal. Even if Leah had forgiven them, she still needed time before she'd be comfortable around either of them again.

"Hey, Emily," Leah finally broke the silence in the room, "Nice apron."

Emily's scarred face crinkled in a lopsided smile, "Hey Leah. Nice muscles."

The pack seemed to reanimate with a big gasping breath. They finally believed Leah when she had said earlier that she wasn't angry anymore. About that, anyways. Sam had a proud smile on his face as he looked back and forth between his first love and his imprint. They would be okay.

The spell had been broken so of course the first to open their big dumb mouth was Quil.

"So what do we call you, Mama Wolf?"

Jake growled his warning low and fierce. It was clear that would be the first and only warning on the matter.

Embry smacked his mate in the arm and hissed, "Shut up, you adorable dumbass."

"You're nice even when you're scolding him," Bella cooed. "Isn't that so cute?"

The noise level rose as everyone began talking among themselves once again. Jake was not so patiently waiting for someone to call to order before he remembered that was his job now.

"Hey guys," Jake tried to get their attention.

" **HEY."**

Silence.

"Quil, you are a dumbass but you bring up a good point," Jake began, receiving a few confused looks. "I brought Billy so he could explain Leah's role in the tribe and in the pack. The legend of Kaliso is all we know, but it's a start."

"Who is Kaliso?" a few different voices asked.

Billy launched into storyteller mode. His smooth baritone regaled the story of the first, and until today, the only Alpha Female in recorded history.

"She is called Kaliso in the few written accounts. It is the Quileute word for the color of her fur, a dark, rich brown. The color of damp earth and of the deep brown eyes most of you in this room carry. She was the most formidable fighter of all of the wolves. She was smaller in stature, but that gave her speed and agility that the male wolves would never achieve, even with practice. She was an imposing force amongst the wolves and the tribe. Kaliso fought Cold Ones in the forests on four legs and she fought white settlers in the town on two. She was said to secure our land against the settlers that tried to colonize. She was the wife and Alpha alongside the Chief."

"Taha Aki?" Paul questioned.

"No, Taha Aki was the first spirit wolf, but he did not have a pack. You've heard the legend. Two of his sons phased, but were killed during the same attack in which the Third Wife sacrificed herself. Taha Aki fled to the forest never to be heard of again. But his bloodline lived on. The next occurrence of the wolf gene was the formation of the first true pack. Kaliso's pack. We can thank them for the written histories of the shifters we have today. They documented everything we know about the shifter's transformation, heightened senses, lifespan, and of course, about imprinting. The Third Wife was the first imprint, but some of the next pack were blessed with imprints as well. Kaliso nor her male Alpha counterpart were imprinted but they were marked mates.

"The pack that Kaliso and her mate led was about as large as the pack today. There have been no other packs this large and the council believes the spirits may be preparing for something big. Kaliso's pack was able to defend the tribe against a whole coven of Cold Ones. If just one or two wolves were there to protect the people, the Quileutes may have been eliminated as a whole. The leadership and strength of the Alpha pair is believed to be what saved the tribe.

"Even when the treaty was made with the Cullens, there were only three wolves. The spirits knew peace could be maintained. It was unnecessary to bestow the gift of the wolf on more souls. There are now eight of you blessed with the duty of the wolf. You have an Alpha pair to fan the flames of the magic that lives inside of you all. The spirits know more than we do. We must be prepared."

The pack absorbed Billy's words. Something bad was brewing. Something big.

"Well that was ominous," Paul deadpanned.

Sam didn't understand, "But the only lee-"

"Hey Paul," Jake called out, interrupting Sam with a pointed look. Nodding to the kitchen door, he directed the other wolf, "Come here."

Paul's first thought was 'oh shit what did I do now?' He followed Jake into the kitchen and tried to think through what he did in the last few days to possibly piss off Jake. His comment wasn't that bad was it? Jake was still very protective of Bella so it was probably about her. But if Jake thought he had done something to Bella he wouldn't have wanted to talk, he would have just beat this shit out of him. And now didn't seem like the time to dole out punishments for that kind of thing.

Always the strategist, Paul planned his escape route out the back door if Jake attacked him. He couldn't just wolf out in Emily's kitchen or Sam would relieve him of his nuts.

"You gotta get Bells out of here," Jake whispered as soon as the door swung shut behind Paul.

"What, why? Do you know something about whatever the Chief said was going to happen?" Paul could already feel his skin prickling with the wolf just under the surface.

"No, but I don't want Bella to know that leech is after her."

Paul sighed, "You know just as well as I do how much she worries. She works herself up over the smallest thing. But she has a right to know she's in danger."

Jake had thought this through, "Usually I'd agree with that, but this is Bells we're talking about. You know how she'll do anything for us. And that includes playing the martyr and just walking right into this asshole's arms to keep us safe." He put finger quotes around 'safe'. A pack of wolves against one leech, even with some sort of ability, were some pretty good odds. He continued, "We need to talk about this leech as a pack and about what could be coming if the legends are to repeat themselves. But I don't want Bells here. We gotta get rid of the girls without being obvious."

Paul knew he was right but he had conditions, "Only if there's a wolf on her at all times."

"I know you'd love to be  _ on _ her at all times, man, but she still has to finish school and I don't think Charlie would be cool with her new Paul shaped bedsheets."

"As much as I'd love that, I'm being serious, dude. I'm talking about patrols. At all times."

Jake was silent for a few minutes while he thought this through. He had more problems than solutions right now. Is this what being an Alpha was going to be like? Leaving Paul in the kitchen, Jake went back into the living room. The group fell silent once again at his presence. He was going to have to get used to that, it was so weird.

"Hey, Emily. Do you think you guys could put together a bonfire by tomorrow night? We need to properly welcome our new pack members and everyone should hear all of the legends again."

Bella fell for the bait right away. "Tomorrow?! I usually do most of the baking the day before so I'm already behind."

Sam had clued Emily into the conversation in the kitchen and followed along like a pro. "Let's go shopping, Bella. I'll get stuff for a barbeque and you can get anything you need to bake. Kim, want to join us?"

The imprints were kissed goodbye and thanked profusely by every member of the pack for the hard work they do to appease supernatural appetites. Paul was anxious already that Bella was without protection. Jake saw through him in an instant.

"The store is right down the street. She'll be fine," Jake placated, "and as soon as we talk about the leech, you can go stalk your girlfriend."

Dissatisfied with the compromise, Paul waited by the door. Much to his delight, Leah got straight to the point, "So what do we know about this Cold One?"

The pack took turns and told parts of the story to fill in the newest members. Jake told about Bella's history with the Cullens and their unfortunate meeting with the nomadic vampires. About killing the red head. About chasing Laurent and his mysterious get away. Paul speculated the leech had a special ability, like the Cullens according to Bella. They agreed it was the only explanation. He spoke and they obeyed against all reason.

"So next time we don't let him talk," Leah suggested with a shrug as if it was the most obvious solution.

Seth still had not spoken a word. The more he heard about Cold Ones and fighting and responsibilities, the smaller he tried to make himself. He wished he could fold himself up until he could shrink into a shadow and nobody would know where he went. With each new story of dismembering vampires, the more it looked like he was trying to shrink into the corner. His newly hulking frame and towering height made him look like a man impersonating a scared child.

But that was exactly what he was. A scared child.

A/N: The name of the first Alpha Female is based off of the Quileute word for "brown" ќalíso [kuh-LAY-so]

Revised 10/8/2020


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

After the legends were told and flames had died down, the two new wolves were welcomed into the pack.

Leah cut her hair straight across at her shoulders with one cut like a Quiluete Mulan. All she was missing was the sword. She didn't move a muscle or flinch when she got the pack tattoo. Billy offered to have the older council member use a tattoo gun because it hurt less than the traditional method with potted ink and deer bone needles. Leah was emphatic that she got the traditional method. She even asked for it to be bigger than most of the guys', taking up her entire bicep. She was expected to be this mythical super wolf that knew what she was doing, but she had never felt so alone. Even when there were seven extra voices in her head echoing her doubts.

Seth got a buzz cut. He didn't have the long hair that some of the boys had on the rez but it had never been this short before. He wasn't offered the tattoo gun because he was a man now. He cried silent tears as a stranger branded him the old fashioned way. He may heal fast now, but it hurts just the same.

Jake tried to hold back tears of his own while he watched the boy being forced into responsibilities he was too young to have to shoulder. He ducked his head and ran a hand over his own short hair to try and hide his face. He missed his long hair. His fondest childhood memories were of his late mother brushing and braiding his hair that she was so proud of. It was a symbol of strength in their culture. He was Alpha now, he needed to be strong. Even without his braid. Even without his mom.

Sam felt guilty for the relief he felt now that his position had been passed on to a sixteen year old boy. The weight of leadership had rested heavy on his broad shoulders and he was so, so tired. Emily's scars held down half of her smile and the oldest wolf was reminded of all of the things he had to feel guilty for. It was a long list.

Embry itched to touch Quil. A pat on his shoulder or a sly hand on his lower back to reassure his mate when nobody could see. But the Ateara patriarch was here so the two lovers could only share longing glances and promises for later. Quil watched the other couples' casual embrace with such intense jealousy that it burned in his gut and spit fire up his throat. Resentment had become the couple's greatest commonality and the main topic of every conversation. Maybe if they got away from the rez, they could live freely and look to the future with hope. But their spirit wolves bound them to a land and tribe that didn't accept them.

Jared was trying to ignore the fact that he was relieved the two boys weren't all over each other like they were at Sam's. He was happy for his brothers, they were so in love. He wanted to be happy for them. He felt horrible that he cringed every time they kissed and tried not to notice when they held hands. It was so... wrong. He loved Kim and he didn't understand how a man could love another man that way. But he knew this was just his parents beliefs that had been pressure cooked into his brain. If he pretended to be comfortable around their affection long enough maybe eventually it wouldn't bother him.

Paul liked being a wolf only because he had nothing before. He was essentially orphaned. Bella was his family now and he still feared every day that she would reject him. Why wouldn't she? He would make a terrible father, just look at his role model. He had nothing to offer her on his measly income. What kind of life could he make for this girl who deserved the world plated in gold? Maybe she would have been better off with the Cullens. They had money. Even if she could look past the million reasons to just walk away from him, she could be killed by a deranged bloodsucker at any moment. He was a worthless rez rat, but he was selfish. He couldn’t bear to lose, the only good thing to ever happen to him. Paul watched the fire, held his girl a little tighter, and thought of what extreme measures it would take to kill a shapeshifter.

Billy Black's soul ached. Every single one of the Quileute protectors were trying to hide their pain. Some better than others. Sarah would have known how to help them. She had such a warm heart and a gift for nurturing everyone around her. He missed his girls. He wished with everything he had that his children could have enjoyed the innocence of childhood for just a little bit longer. Before their mother was stolen from them. Before the supernatural world made his son's nightmares come to life.

Weeks went by. Every minute of every day teenaged boys risked their lives watching their borders for red eyed monsters. They cried when they thought nobody was looking. Those still in high school watched their grades and attendance drop, losing hope of ever graduating. Families pinched pennies trying to feed supernatural appetites. The wolves felt horrible guilt every time they burst through another pair of shorts that they couldn't afford to replace.

The strain would be more manageable maybe if they weren't stretched so thin between all of the patrols and school and their families. But none of them complained because they were warriors now. They had a duty to uphold because everyone told them it was an honor.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Being on Bella-Watch was a little easier for Jake and Paul when she wasn't on the rez. It wouldn't be odd or suspicious for one of them to come hang out at her house. Charlie preferred Jake, of course. He was still apprehensive that his little girl was being manipulated by that womanizer, Paul Lahote. Charlie still had a soft spot for the boy after seeing how he grew up, but Paul also knew how to cause trouble when he wanted to. As a father, Charlie worried for his baby girl.

If any of the other wolves were on Bella-Watch, they had to stay in the woods. Bella would be a little weirded out if all of a sudden Jared wanted to hang out and Laurent was still being kept a secret from her. Paul had her down on the rez as much as possible to make things easier for the patrolling wolves. Any little thing helped.

It was Jake's turn to keep his supernatural senses at attention for the safety of his best friend. They were in Forks because Bella turned down the invitation to Emily's for the evening. She hadn't seen much of Charlie lately and they weren't as close as she would have liked. He was a busy man and she was always on the rez these days. But tonight, she was going to spend some time with her old man. She just hoped he didn't argue with Paul too much when he came by later too.

Jake was in his usual chair at the table in the kitchen. Bella had homework spread out across most of the table and was currently freaking out about finals which she said were right around the corner.

"Finals are like three months away, you nerd," Jake laughed, flipping through flashcard questions that he didn't know a single answer to. If he even still counted as a student, he would only be a sophomore. What a joke. He looked more like a professional wrestler than a high school student. He hated towering over every single person in the building. Seeing the instinctual fear of their physically imposing student in the eyes of his teachers made him feel like a monster. So he took every excuse to miss class, usually watching outside Bella's school instead of attending his own.

"You're supposed to read the questions out loud, Jake," she teased.

"I'm just looking for one I can pronounce," he justified. "Why do you need to know physics? It's not like you're going on to study particle engineering, Bells."

She heard similar complaints every time he tried to study with her. "Just ask me a question."

When he still didn't play along she asked him a question that she knew would make him prefer to talk about her physics homework: "So how's it going with Leah? You guys dating yet?"

It was a low blow. He refused to talk about Leah because Leah still refused to talk to him. They saw each other at meetings, very rarely patrolled together, and at all other times, avoided each other like the plague. His wolf was howling to get to its mate, nearly tearing his insides apart. He looked for any hint of a similar reaction from her, but Leah's mind was a bank vault when they were phased. They were able to work together as an Alpha pair, leading the pack. That part was effortless. But the mates part? Nothing.

Predictably, Jacob ignored the question and read from a flashcard, "In an isolated system, the moment of inertia of a rotating object is halved. What happens to the angular velocity of the object?"

She paused to think for a moment before answering with confidence, "It's doubled."

"Congratulations, Bells," he deadpanned. "You might as well be speaking a different language."

"You'll take physics too. If you paid attention at all, you could start out ahead of the class."

Avoiding her suggestion, he flipped through more of her flashcards looking for terms he recognized. Jake was smart. He was great with people, he had common sense, and he could take just about any engine apart and put it back together, but this? Not his thing.

Bella was too focused on her notes to see the look on his face so she continued, "What is your class schedule going to look like next year?"

"A whole lot of tracking and forestry," he tried to joke.

She looked up from her color coordinated notes when she caught on to his implication. She tried to hold back her anger before she jumped to conclusions.

"Please don't tell me you think you aren't going to school next year."

She would know if he tried to lie to her. She knew all his tells so he just spit it out, "I'm not even really going to school this year." He kept his eyes on the flashcards, refusing to see the disappointment on her face.

As predicted, she exploded, "WHAT? Jacob Black, did you drop out? School is so important. You have to finish high school."

On the rez, it wasn't unusual at all for kids to drop out. Most families had businesses that were generations old. What was the point in getting a diploma you don't need when you can start working already?

"I don't need a diploma to be Chief, Bells. That's just how things are run on the rez," he tried to pacify her.

"Don't you pull the 'white-girl doesn't know how we do things' card," she fumed. "If Paul can finish school, so can you."

Jacob Black did not like being compared to Paul Lahote. They got along better now that they were pack brothers but it was more of a tolerance over a shared concern for Bella.

"Your dick of a boyfriend didn't become a wolf until after he graduated and staying in school was part of the council's conditions for letting him live alone after his father died. Unlike him, I have responsibilities as Alpha and future Chief." He was standing now, flashcards forgotten and falling to the floor.

Bella wasn't about to just let this go but she could see that he wasn't backing down either. She thought for a moment before standing too. "Fine," she crossed her arms defiantly, "but I'm talking to Billy about how we can get you homeschooled. He'll be on my side. You're getting a diploma even if I have to tutor you myself."

There was no arguing with Bella Swan when she got like this. As much as he loved to see the fire back in her eyes since Cullen left her, he didn't always love when it was directed at him.

"You win," he sighed. "Can we drop it? I'm hungry."

The two best friends worked in silence except for the occasional huff from Bella, clearly still frustrated with him. Physics was abandoned on the kitchen table and Jake chopped whatever she put in front of him. Two casserole dishes of wolf-proportioned chicken and veggies were in the oven and Jake was determined to not bring up school again. He led them passed her homework into the living room, insisting that she needed a break while food cooked. Falling into old routines, they both flopped onto the couch. Bella leaned into his side and Jake draped his arm on the back of the couch across her shoulders. Giving her a kiss to the temple and a light squeeze, Jake sighed.

"I've really missed you, Bells."

"Yeah it's been forever since we've hung out. I see you at Sam's place all the time when the pack hangs out but we've both been so busy." He hadn't been over for a while. Usually Paul was on Bella-Watch at this time of the day and Jake was trying to catch up on sleep or dealing with something pack related. Paul was taking care of something he was really vague about and had asked Jake to cover tonight until later. Jake knew Paul wouldn't ask unless it was important so he didn't push the issue. He trusted his pack.

"Yeah I haven't been here for a while," Jake tried to think back. "The last time was uhh…"

They both jumped off of the couch so fast that Bella nearly launched herself over the coffee table. They both stared back at the couch in horror. This was ground zero for their first and only roll in the hay.

They turned to look at each other and jumped apart when their arms brushed against each other. It had never been awkward or even acknowledged that they had a very brief sexual history. They had slipped back into their easy friendship that neither of them had dwelled much on that night. Bella had learned of and accepted her imprint with Paul the next day so she had moved on. Jacob remembered that night for his first phase, more than for sleeping with his best friend. Virginity was one of those things that seemed so important until it was gone.

"I uhhh...pulled all the covers off of the couch and washed them. A few times," Bella explained.

"That bad of a memory, huh?" Jake joked.

"No, no, no, I was just afraid Charlie would somehow... _ know." _ Bella was bright red and Jake relished in the familiarity of her blushed cheeks.

"Bells, we really don't have to talk about it," he said with a wince, "But before we never talk about this ever again I'd like to say I'm sorry."

"For what?" Bella sat back down on the couch, pulling Jake with her. She made sure they were sitting in their usual positions, casually touching, ensuring their friendship survived this conversation.

"Two things," he started, "Mostly, I feel terrible that the pack saw that memory. If it makes you feel any better, I've got great control of my thoughts now that I'm an Alpha."

"I understand, Jake, it's ok. Privacy is an illusion with the pack mind and your freaky super senses. And anything you've shown them, I'm sure Paul's slips are worse. What's the other thing?"

Suddenly uncomfortable and wondering if it's weird to apologize for his next thing, he continued, "If I've learned anything in the pack mind, it's that I did you wrong."

Bella thought she knew what Jake was getting at but he wouldn't be that...obtuse? Would he?

He would.

"I know it wasn't exactly good for you, Bells, and I'm sorry that I was so selfish. If I could go back in time, I'd make sure you uhh..."

"Jake, stop talking."

"Fuck, thank you, Bells. You're right, I shouldn't have said anything. That was so awkward. You're like a sister now, especially with your imprint," Jake blustered. "I don't want to talk about your orgasms."

"You brought them up, weirdo!" She was torn between laughing and smacking him but she knew she'd only hurt herself so she just laughed it off. She'd get Paul to smack him for her.

"Speaking of your orgasms," Jake said dodging her fist to keep her from hurting herself, "how are things with Paul?"

"Things are just fine in that arena, thank you very much," she said, crossing her arms defensively.

"Just making sure you're not torturing him too much is all. I'm in his head, Bells. It's like all he thinks about."

Bella turned bright red guessing how much the pack had potentially seen of her, "I hope his thoughts aren't too graphic."

"No, not like that. He's pretty good about controlling his thoughts but the constant vibe of sexual frustration is there," Jake explained.

"He gets his rocks off all the time!"

"Gee thanks for that information, Bells," he said rolling his eyes, "I mean that his wolf is restless since you haven't been claimed."

"As much as I love the terminology you guys use," she rolled her eyes right back, "I want to make sure I love him first. Not just because of the imprint. And why can't you guys talk about it like we're humans?!"

"If you're not humans what are ya?" Charlie called from the front hall with a chuckle, thankfully having only heard the last bit of Bellas confession. Charlie did not need to know any intimate details about her and Paul's relationship. Even if they weren't sleeping together. Yet.

Charlie answered his own question, "Bunch of wild animals, I presume?"

Bella forced a laugh before escaping to the kitchen to check on the food.

Paul had a sixth sense for showing up right when the kitchen timer goes off signalling food was ready to come out of the oven. Jacob and Charlie were catching up over whatever sport was on TV, but Paul wasn't here for them. He snuck up on Bella in the kitchen just in time to watch her ass as she bent over to pull something out of the oven that smelled like heaven. A hot home cooked meal was still a novelty to Paul. Before Emily started filling his fridge with casseroles whenever he wasn't home, he lived on frozen meals and PB&J's. Do you know how many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches it takes to fill a teenage boy, let alone a shapeshifter? More than anyone should ever eat in a lifetime.

Bella jumped with a squeak when she turned around and saw Paul eyeing her appreciatively from his casual position against the kitchen door frame. He was wearing a t-shirt for once, mostly for Charlie's benefit. It still stretched deliciously across his chest. His trademark smirk stretched his lips in a way that demanded they be kissed and she would gladly oblige.

Paul didn't know how she did it but somehow that girl made taking off oven mitts sexy. She practically skipped across the kitchen and jumped up in a practiced motion, wrapping her legs around his waist and trusting his big strong arms to catch her. His hands went straight to her ass like magnets and pulled her center against his rock hard length.

She hummed into his mouth at the feeling of coming home to Paul's arms where she belonged. He set her down on the edge of the counter, sliding his hands up her sides. Bella arched her back, begging for more of his touch. He kissed down her neck to her collar bone and licked back up to her ear. Her nails dug into biceps when he nibbled on her ear lobe. He groaned in appreciation when she pushed him into her harder with her heels on his ass.

Hearing Bella's moans was one thing, but hearing Paul's was where Jake drew the line. If he didn't hear Paul come in the front door, he still would have known when he arrived based on the near instant smell of Bella's arousal. It was sickening.

"Hey you crazy kids, is my food done?" Jake called out from the living room. Did they have no shame?

Charlie gave him a confused look, following Jake into the kitchen. He didn't even know Paul was here. Low and behold, Paul was casually reclined in the kitchen chair that had become his usual spot and Bella was red as a tomato trying to look busy. Both were breathing a little too heavy for just hanging out in a kitchen.

They mostly ate in awkward silence with short breaks for awkward conversation. Charlie and Paul asked each other how work was going. Both simply said fine with a tight lipped smile. Everytime the two men got together it was tense. Charlie was waiting for Paul to slip up and send Bella running for the hills or worse, to her mom in Florida. Paul was also waiting for Paul to slip up and send Bella running for the hills or worse, to her mom in Florida. Bella was the only one at the table that trusted Paul with her heart.

Jake practically inhaled two plates of food before kissing Bella on the temple with a 'thank you' and promises of seeing her soon.

Paul had been even more protective of Bella lately and a lot less tolerant of her best friend's affections. He growled low enough not to startle Charlie, but loud enough to earn an eye roll from his girl. Jake wanted to deck him but settled for an eye roll to match Bella's. He headed for the front door, but not before mumbling something about not wanting to ruffle her boyfriends fur.

"Isn't the saying 'ruffle his feathers'?" Charlie asked mostly to himself before putting his dishes in the sink, thanking Bells for dinner, and retiring to his trusty armchair.

Paul cleaned up the kitchen to let Bella finish the last of her homework. He always wanted to be helpful and this was the only way he could at the moment. He definitely couldn't help her study for her finals and he was already doing everything he could with the leech problem. Charlie just figured he was trying to earn brownie points and that suited him just fine. He wasn't ready to tell Paul this, but he noticed and appreciated the way we waited on her hand and foot.

Charlie asked if Paul wanted to watch the game, but honestly Paul wasn't much of a sports guy. Bella had joked to Emily on quite a few occasions that his indifference to sports on TV was the most attractive thing about him. But now that she was staring at him across the kitchen, elbow deep in dish water, in a t-shirt two sizes too tight, she might have a change of heart.

Without looking back, Paul said in a low, gravely voice, "Either you're distracted or your physics homework is turning you on."

Ignoring his comment because there was no use in arguing with him, she had an observation of her own, "It's really unfortunate when you wear a shirt."

"Oh yeah, Princess?" she could hear the smile in his voice. "Even with your dad in the other room?"

His back was still to her so she goaded him further, "So what?"

"You're playing a dangerous game, Isabella."

She knew that when he used her full name, he meant business. They've been doing what she calls the 'Everything, but' dance. They do everything, but sex. And it's been driving them both wild. She was sticking to her guns though. She wanted to be sure that she loved him on her own, without the imprint, before they took that final step. And she had a feeling that might be happening soon.

"What's my prize if I win, Paul?"

He slowly turned around to face her. The first thing she noticed was his Cheshire cat grin. He flicked his eyes down and hers followed. The front of his shirt was tucked in to his cutoffs and tucked up between his waistband and his black shirt was his leaking cock. It was so large that she'd guess three or four inches of the one eyed monster were on full display and she knew that wasn't even half of it.

"Your prize, Princess."

He had the most heart-stopping smirk pulling up one side of his mouth and a gleam in his eye. It was a challenge. How far would she take this with Charlie one room over? She knew that Paul would hear him coming the second Charlie moved but what if he was distracted?

Bella stood up and very slowly pulled her hair into a ponytail with the elastic on her wrist. She knew Paul liked her neck, it was a wolf thing, and she hoped it would give him some high hopes about where this was going. She crossed the kitchen in two steps, dropping to her knees in front of him. A drop of precum spilled from the slit, slowly leaking down his painfully hard member. He'd been sporting an erection since their makeout session on the counter before dinner.

Paul gripped the counter so hard he threatened to break off chunks of tile. She slowly, so slowly, licked up the exposed underside of his cock, swirling the tip with her tongue. Paul thought his knees might buckle as his eyes rolled back in his head. A low groan escaped him when she swirled the tip a second time. She yanked his shirt out from where it was tucked and after a kiss to his perfect abs, stood up and pulled his shirt down over his frustrated dick.

"I'm going to die of blue balls," he chuckled. "That's how you kill a werewolf." He knew she wouldn't do much with Charlie next door and even that was more than he expected. His little firecracker was really coming out of her shell.

"Why do you and Jake hate each other?"

"Shit, Princess," he sputtered. "Were you just trying to help kill my boner because it worked. I'm not a fan of how often he comes up when my dick is out."

"The rule was in bed and I made sure  _ he _ was put away before I asked," she explained even though she was mostly sure he was kidding. "And you know I'll gladly suck your cock later."

Well now he was hard again. His dick was going to get whiplash. He loved when such dirty things came out of such a pretty mouth. The sooner this conversation was over, the sooner he could sneak in her window after 'going home' and get into bed with his girl.

He really didn't want to be thinking or talking about Jacob right now. The kid was just too happy. What did he have to be so goddamn happy about all the time? He'd proven to be a natural at the wolf. Paul couldn't think of a single time when Jacob had phased on accident when Paul still burst into fur out of anger at least once a week. Less since Bella, though. A lot less.

"I don't hate him, Princess," he sighed. She just raised her eyebrows in challenge.

"Well I definitely don't like him," he conceded. "I respect him as Alpha and I'll admit he's doing a great job in the position. He's a natural."

"But..," she prompted him when he didn't continue.

"He's just so obnoxiously  _ happy _ . What does he have to be so annoyingly chipper about all the time?"

He pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her. She was just so small, so fragile. And she was his to protect and cherish and...Jake would always have a piece of her.

She tried to look up at him but he just squeezed her tighter against him. He didn't want her to see the hurt on his face from this realization. He didn't want to be that asshole boyfriend who says she can't be friends with Jake, but he was finally able to admit he was jealous. As soon as he thought the words, his wolf growled at him. Ok, so his wolf was jealous too.

Proving they were made for each other, Bella mumbled into his chest, "Are you jealous of him?"

"I didn't even realize it until just now," he whispered into her hair. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize for your feelings," she reassured, rubbing his back, "I want to understand."

"I don't make a habit of talking about my feelings," he shrugged. Where did he even start? The beginning. He poured his heart out, starting with how he remembered hiding his emotions even as a child. Anger was the only thing that got results. He got in trouble in school to see if his mom would even care. She didn't. He fought back against his father when he was old enough to throw a punch. He hated the Chief in Training and his perfect little family. Even after Sarah Black had died, Jacob had a support system and he was able to smile again. Nobody supported Paul. Charlie checked on him but he couldn't do much. He was jealous of the family and friends Jacob had to be there for him. And now the best thing in Paul's life was this beautiful woman in his arms. Even she was always going to be connected to Jacob.

He held her closer and absolutely refused to cry. If he got one look at those big doe eyes, the waterworks would start and Paul wasn't about to cry for the first time in nearly a decade.

Bella just let him talk. He was rambling and it didn't all make sense, but now wasn't the time to ask clarifying questions. He had to get this out and she was just glad that she got to be the one he opened up to. This big, tough werewolf could be vulnerable with her like he had never been before. She just held him and let him talk.

Charlie got up to grab another beer but paused by the door when he heard Paul's shaky voice. This was more than he'd ever heard the boy talk so he wasn't about to interrupt just for a can of Vitamin R. His heart broke for the child he had tried to help, but from the sounds of it, he hadn't tried hard enough.

Paul caught his breath. When he was confident he could look her in the eye without crying, he pulled back. He gave her a peck on the lips and swiped his thumbs across her cheeks, cradling her face in his large hands.

Whispering low so only she heard, "I'll be back in your window. I'm going to go run some laps."

Charlie thankfully didn't hear the last part. He had been waiting for an opportunity to go back in the kitchen without disrupting the moment. Bella didn't quite give the man enough credit. He wasn't as dense and she seemed to think he was. Clearing his throat to announce his presence, he walked over to the fridge.

The two kids jumped apart and Charlie had to stifle his chuckle. Bella ineffectually tried to hide her tears, wiping at her eyes and ducking her face. Paul didn't look as watery as Bella, but he still looked a little startled. Truth was, Paul was embarrassed he didn't hear the older man coming. Good thing Bella hadn't followed through on her sexual advances or they definitely would have gotten caught in a more  _ compromising  _ position.

"Headed out, son?" Charlie asked with a forced nonchalance.

Paul tried to school his features to copy the casual atmosphere.

"Yes, sir."

Paul stuck his hand out to shake the man's hand but it went ignored. Instead Charlie wrapped the boy in the first fatherly hug he could remember ever getting. The height difference made it slightly awkward, but Paul bent down to accommodate.

With a nervous pat on the back, the older man said "Call me Charlie," before stepping back.

_ Goddamnit, do not cry.  _ "Sure thing, Charlie. Goodnight."

Everyone pretended not to hear the hitch in the boy's breath. Paul placed one last kiss on Bella’s forehead, taking in a lungful of her comfort, and he was out the door in a flash.

Not addressing the emotional scene that just played out in the kitchen, Charlie wished Bella a goodnight as well and headed up stairs.

Bella had no qualms with shedding tears. She didn't care that he was jealous, but her heart broke at the reason why. He just wanted a family, a support system. She was more determined than ever to be that for him. It seemed Charlie was on board too. While she got ready for bed she made plans to do more family type activities with Paul and her father.

Teeth brushed and face washed, she made it back to her room and her heart broke once again. Paul was curled up on his side in her bed looking like an overgrown child. She stripped down to her underwear and found an oversized shirt to pull on before climbing into bed behind him. She wrapped her arms around him and snuggled her cheek in between his shoulder blades. Being the big spoon to this hulking man might have looked funny to someone looking on, but being held was just what he needed. He brought her hand up to his lips for a reverent kiss on her knuckles before pulling her arm around him tighter.

This is where they belonged. Wrapped around each other to ward off the demons. The ones haunting the woods and the ones haunting their minds. Not a word was spoken, but Paul could smell the salt of her silent tears before she fell asleep. He thanked the spirits for the millionth time for his girl. 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jared let out a playful yip from the forest just before the sun came up to let Paul know that he was here to take over Bella-duty. The wolves were always on the watch, always prepared. Having at least one wolf on patrol and a wolf on Bella at all times was really putting a strain on the pack. Nobody was getting any sleep. Sam, Paul and Jared were all out of school so they took the night patrols and slept during the day when they weren't working. Jake took most of the school day patrols on Bella but the younger boys had pretty much stopped going to school too so they could patrol the rez. Even when they managed to make it to class, they'd either fall asleep or need to leave. The blessing of the spirit wolf came with the  _ blessing _ of needing to poof into fur at the slightest provocation.

Quil and Embry had it the worst. On the rare days they both made it to school, the proximity wasn't even helpful. They had most classes together but being in the same room wasn't enough. Not when they knew how it felt to be in each other's arms. Or better yet, in each other's bodies. But because they weren't 'out' at school, they couldn't even hold hands.

They were far from being ashamed of each other. That wasn't why they stayed in the closet. They both vividly remembered Christopher Jones getting the shit kicked out of him during their freshman year for bringing a  _ boy _ from Forks to a school dance as a date. Holding hands with a white boy had earned Christopher Jones a broken nose and a punctured lung from one of his ribs being kicked in. He was homeschooled for the rest of the year. Once he was released from his month in the hospital, of course.

The boys who had attacked him got a few days suspension and a lecture from the council about pulling your punches. The broken nose wasn't so bad, but the punctured lung had been a bit much. That had Old Quil written all over it.

Quil and Embry weren't afraid of getting beat up, of course. But they were afraid of turning into a horse-sized killing machine in the hallway. Embry had already had a close call when some bigot had muttered an obscenity at Quil in between classes. It seemed that the rumors had gotten around about Quil getting the boot from home. Someone had apparently put all the pieces together and figured out why.

The couple ditched the rest of their classes and went straight to Embry's house. Luckily they had a few hours before Ms. Call was home and they made the most of the time they had. Wolf healing was a pain when broken bones healed wrong, but being able to have marathon sex for five hours made up for that in Quil's mind. He'll get a bone reset every once in a while if it meant he got to show Embry how much he loved him over and over and over again.

School wasn't the only difficulty for the boys. One would think living together would be amazing for an imprint couple, but they were miserable. They may have lived under the same roof but it might as well have been an ocean between them instead of a few thin walls. Quil was sleeping on the couch while Embry had to stay in his room. Tiffany Call came and went at unpredictable and odd hours and seemed to be the world’s lightest sleeper so sneaking to each other was risky.

Ms. Call was supportive of their relationship, but she wasn't comfortable with anyone sticking their tongue down her baby boy’s throat. She was in deep denial about the physicality of their relationship. After the first time Quil caught her wrinkling her nose at the sight of them kissing, he made sure to keep displays of affection, even chaste ones, for when they were in private. He didn't want to overstep his welcome and she was clearly uncomfortable.

So they were roommates.

The boys ate meals together, hung out in common spaces, and went to bed in separate rooms.

And it was killing them. The only place they could openly be a couple was Sam's house. Or in the middle of the woods which they had discovered was a big turn on for them both. Mostly thanks to their wolfy nature, but it always ended up very dirty in all the wrong ways. So Sam's place is where they spent most of their free time. He wasn't their Alpha anymore, but they were still pack. He loved them like brothers. But he didn't love hearing their moans echo through the house while he was trying to watch football after an early morning shift pouring concrete.

"GUYS!" he bellowed from his throne of an armchair. "I appreciate that you refrain from fucking in my house, but when you make out like that, it doesn't take much to imagine what the full show sounds like."

"Does Emily know you're imagining gay sex?" Quil snickered from underneath Embry on the couch.

Embarrassed at how carried away they had gotten, Embry smacked his lover on the chest and tried to get up off of the couch but Quil had a firm grip on his hips.

"Why are you two even here right now? Shouldn't you be in school?"

It was Quil's turn to be embarrassed. In a voice barely loud enough for Sam to hear, Quil admitted, "I couldn't handle it."

With some light prodding from the former Alpha, Quil went on to explain why school was so rough. Being in Embry's house, but not his bed was rough. Never patrolling together (for good reason, he understood why) was rough. Hiding who they were 90% of the time was rough. Not having his mom here was rough. And having to go to school exhausted and without even getting to hold Embry's hand was too much.

The boys in the living room didn't think about the other person in the house being able to hear their conversation. Emily came home from work through the kitchen back door, but paused when she heard Quil’s strained voice. Emily's heart broke at the suffering this young couple went through. Her relationship hadn't been a breeze, just look at the scars across her face, but at least she didn't have to hide. She grabbed her keys again and went to talk to Billy Black.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bella had been scheming all day. She left school as quickly as she could and made a beeline for the familiar red house. She didn't know what Jake did during the day other than patrol these days, but she was hoping to talk to just Billy. She had two problems to tackle and no solutions.

She couldn't stop thinking about Jake dropping out of school at sixteen. He may not need chemistry or calculus as the Chief but there was plenty of applicable knowledge from history or even literature that could come in handy. Just having a high school diploma opened the door for opportunities. Jake may have a job lined up, but the other boys still have to figure something out. They don't all have family businesses to work at if they drop out.

She was surprised to see Emily's old but well maintained Corolla parked out front. Jake's Rabbit was still parked by the garage and Bella's heart broke all over again. It seems like just yesterday her scrawny best friend was fixing up that hunk of junk and counting down the days until he could get his license.

Bella ran from her truck to the front porch, only managing to get a little wet from the rain. With her curly hair, that was all it took to be a frizzy mess. Trying to smooth out the flyaways, she stepped into the living room of her home away from home. Emily was sitting at the table with what looked like a cup of coffee, still in her apron from the diner. She usually worked the lunch rush so she could help with pack gatherings or council meetings in the evenings.

Billy Black's storyteller voice welcomed her from his place at the head of the table, "Well, well, well. Speak of the devil."

"And she shall appear," Bella finished with a smile before hanging up her jacket by the door. "What kinds of things are you two saying about me? You and Charlie always did gossip like a bunch of old ladies."

Emily had already busied herself making Bella a cup of coffee. She knew how she liked it perfectly because Emily was thoughtful about those kinds of things. She was the perfect pack mom and Bella was pack.

"We were saying how much the imprints have helped their wolves," Billy explained. "You didn't know him much before, but you've been a real positive influence on Paul."

Bella blushed her signature shade of pink. She didn't know what to say so she just took the seat on the other side of Billy at the table. She didn't want to think about how Paul had been left to fend for himself by the council and that included Billy. Maybe Billy didn't realize the extent of the abuse or neglect.

Emily saved her from that line of thought when she pushed a perfect cup of coffee into Bella's shaking hands and changed the subject.

"The imprint isn't helping Quil and Embry all of the time," Emily began. "That's actually what I came over to talk about. School has become near impossible for them. They haven't been going, they just hide at my house if they aren't on patrol."

Billy didn't look like this was news to him. The attendance issues have been brought to the council's attention by the principal of La Push High. Billy was also informed of the ongoing truancy issue because his own son was one of the worst offenders.

"That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about too, except about Jake. He hasn't been going to school either," Bella supplied.

"I already know of the boys' attendance issues. As you both know better than anyone else, they have a duty. A responsibility, to their people. These are the sacrifices they will have to make." Billy sounded like this was a conversation he's had many times and wasn't happy to be having again.

Emily was quick to fire back, "What about Embry? He doesn't have a family business to work for someday like Jacob or Quil. What will he do after they stop phasing?"

"An education is an invaluable asset," Bella added.

"Girls, girls, I'm not the bad guy. These boys get a stipend from the tribe for their duties as a protector," Billy defended himself, hands up trying to placate the angry women flanking him. "They simply don't have the time or the energy for a traditional education."

Bella was quick on her feet, "So we give them an untraditional education."

"What would that even mean, sweetheart?" Billy asked. "I'm not arguing with you two for fun. Of course, I want what's best for these boys. My own son is one of them. I just don't know how that's possible."

"We homeschool them."

Both girls were surprised to hear the suggestion come from the other at the same time. They had both thought about it, and come to the same conclusion. The pack needed to study on their own schedule. They could work around patrols and Quil and Embry wouldn't have to face the physical pain of denying their imprint just to sit amongst a bunch of judgmental teens.

Emily was less confident about their solution because she didn't know who would teach them.

"I wish I could tutor them but I have my job at the diner."

The trio sat around the table staring at their mugs in silence. Bella was still in high school herself or she'd be jumping at the opportunity to help.

"What if the council hired you?" Billy suggested. If anyone could make a position like that available, it was the Chief.

Emily was ecstatic. She had always thought she'd just be a housewife, maybe pop out a few kids for Sam and be a full-time mom. This was her contribution to the pack. Jacob, Embry, Quil, and Seth would be her students and she would get to help by doing more than just making muffins and casseroles. They ironed out the specifics. They'd meet at Sam's when they could. She'd have to talk to Sue to make sure she was okay with Seth leaving La Push High full time. Emily and Bella talked near frantically about how they'd get the boys caught up on their work with such enthusiasm that Billy wished all problems were that easy.

They still had to figure out what to do with Quil. Staying at Embry's wasn’t going to last if Embry wanted to maintain his relationship with his mother too. They'll have to tackle that next. One thing at a time. 

Revised 10/9/2020


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Leah Clearwater would never be caught dead wearing an apron. She wasn't completely useless in a kitchen and she could follow a recipe, but she wasn't exactly the type to be humming along to the radio while mixing a batch of brownies. She wasn't going to be making heart shaped sandwiches for school lunches and happily folding laundry for a pack of puppies someday. Much to Sue Clearwater's disappointment.

Both Clearwater parents were on the council so they knew all about the pack. Including Leah's  _ destiny _ as Jake's partner. Harry and Sue were hyper focused on the wife potential of that. They had been harassing her about when she was going to get married and give them grandbabies. Were they forgetting Kaliso was this mighty female warrior? She wasn't just a human incubator for the next generation of wolf pups. Leah wasn't even sure she could have kids now that she was a wolf. She hadn't had her cycle since she phased so she wasn't sure what was in her future as far as pups went.

And right now, she couldn't care less. She had plenty of problems to figure out before she worried about getting into a relationship. If they really were meant for each other and their coupling was inevitable, then they had the rest of their lives to get to that. In the meantime, she had other priorities. Like how to be a leader of a pack of supernatural assholes. They still had to pick a Second. Sam was a placeholder Beta for now, but he didn't want the position. She needed to talk to Jake about that. She was due to patrol with him in just a little while so maybe they could figure that out tonight.

Her main concern right now was Seth. They had been wolves for a few weeks now and he still had a hard time phasing at will. Almost as if he was fighting it. Seth refused to patrol with Leah so she didn't know what he was thinking and feeling about all of this. That's probably why he won't patrol with him. Who wants their big sister hearing their thoughts? She'd spent enough time in the pack mind to know how often these guys thought about sex, and that was when they were trying not to because she was there. Seth was probably mortified.

They had him scheduled as little as possible on patrols, but he still struggled. He has to be provoked to phase and soothed to phase back. Just the other day Jared had to deck him to get Seth pissed enough to phase for a routine patrol. Once he's in fur he just goes on autopilot. Seth had no desire to hunt anything, especially scary as fuck vampires. He just wanted to go to school, lay low, and have nothing exciting ever happen to him ever again. He didn't want an imprint, he didn't want super senses, he just wanted to be 14 and play call of duty. He had even admitted to Jake that the girl he had a crush on before all of this is terrified of him now. Seth was supposed to be a freshman in high school, but now he looks like he could be the football coach.

Leah had to do  _ something _ about her baby brother and the only solution she had so far was to try to get Seth to stop phasing all together. She knew that wasn't an option though. If the spirits thought they were in need of an Alpha Female, they needed all the wolves they could get for whatever was coming. The pack needed to be a merciless killing machine that operated as a unit.

Quil and Embry's situation wasn't helping with that. They were depressed and their wolves were near useless chomping at the bit trying to get at each other. And Jared wasn't as good as he thought he was about hiding his distaste for the couple.

Maybe if they figured out all of those problems, killed whatever leech apocalypse the spirits thought was coming, and survived? Maybe then she could worry about finding eternal happiness and rainbows with her soulmate. Jake hadn't broached the subject with her yet either so maybe he was thinking the same thing. They could wait to deal with their wolfy love story when the leeches were just ashes in the wind.

She stepped into the treeline in her backyard, pulling off her t-shirt dress and securing it to her ankle with a length of elastic. The boys used leather straps but with her stretchy cord, she'd never lost a piece of clothing. Idiots. These oversized dresses were pretty much all she wore anymore. No bra, no underwear, just a comfy cotton dress and the breeze. If she could walk around shirtless like the guys did, she would. Who wouldn't want to show off tits like these?

The guys were weird around her when they phased in and out. She definitely wasn't peeking and she honestly didn't care if they did. She had no desire to see their flaccid dicks and they were all too afraid of her to check her out anyway. Except Jake. This was the only acknowledgement of their connection from either of them. They were both unashamed of the way they watched each other after phasing back to human. Sometimes even going as far as phasing back a few paces early and cataloging each other's every movement before reaching for clothes hidden in trees or tied to ankles.

Jake was nowhere in sight now as she stretched out, falling forward onto four paws with such ease she barely noticed the transition. Jake was by far her favorite patrol partner because as Alphas, they had near impeccable control over what thoughts they chose to share. The imprinted wolves were the worst and unfortunately that meant everyone but Seth and he refused to patrol with her. Every three seconds they thought about their imprint and most of the time it wasn't a PG rated memory.

Now she just had a fuzzy presence in her mind that she knew was Jake. They exchanged a " _ Hey Jay" _ and a " _ Hey Lee" _ before falling into the routine of running the border. The nicknames were the closest thing to friendship they really shared. From there they only broke the silence to note something either of them saw. They might as well be communicating in human form at this point. If Leah tried even a little bit, she could shut him out so thoroughly that he couldn't even see through her eyes. Or any of her other senses for that matter.

They weren't friends, they were just partners in this weird supernatural game, so they kept it professional. They noted faint traces of old scents. The stale scent of the leech with dreads was still lingering in some places with heavy underbrush. The rain had washed most of it away but they were careful to catalog wherever even the hint of saccharine bleach could be scented.

The Alpha pair spent their patrols together hypothesizing what could be coming that would require a pack this size and the additional power an Alpha Female would give the rest of the pack. Last time Kaliso had to fight a whole coven. Maybe Laurent had friends they didn't know about? Jake had shared everything he knew about the Cullens and everything Bella had told him. Laurent himself had said he had no contact with the bloodsuckers in Alaska but maybe they could be working together. Any vamp that wasn't listed on the treaty was fair game and they couldn't risk assuming any leeches were friendly.

Leah suggested they train the wolves how to fight. The pack had very little actual experience fighting vampires so Jake proposed that the wolves that did could share their memories with the newer pups. 

She did  _ not _ like that he mentally lumped her in with the 'newer pups' even if she had been a wolf the shortest amount of time.

_ I'm Alpha Female, Jacob. I have instinct and speed on my side. _

_ Ohh we're back to 'Jacob'? You've never even seen a leech in real life, Leah! Of course I mean you when I say pups. _

He'd roll his eyes if he could. They need to be prepared for anything. How are they going to have time to train between patrol, Bella Watch, school, and sleep?

At least homeschooling with Emily was helping lighten the load. They usually got together in the afternoons so Bella could be there after Forks High got out. That killed two birds with one stone at least. Bella was getting suspicious that Paul and Jake were always trying to keep her on the rez. This way she was coming to tribal land on her own and the wolves were able to breathe a little easier.

Initially Emily was nervous that Embry and Quil would be too distracted to do any school work but against all odds, they were her best students. They paid attention and did their work as long as they got to hold hands or find some way to be in physical contact. She had only needed to smack them with a rolled up newspaper once when they got a little carried away with their kiss ‘hello’ at the beginning of one of their lessons.

All of the boys were on an accelerated time schedule to try and finish quicker. Embry and Quil were on track to finish school in one year instead of two and Seth was trying to catch up to graduate on the same schedule as the boys. With summer classes it was definitely doable.

Jake didn't tell the others but he was working nearly double to finish the bare minimum requirements to graduate after summer classes and just one more semester. With lots of help from Bella, he was managing. Well, barely managing if he was being honest. He had responsibilities to his pack and tribe so he couldn't be distracted by school. But what he couldn't even admit to himself was that his main reason for wanting to finish so quickly was Leah.

She was already done with school. He didn't want to be the dumb kid that was still in high school next to this goddess. How could she take him seriously? He may look twenty five, but he still carried the insecurities of the sixteen-year-old he was deep down.

Jake desperately tried to brush those feelings aside in case Leah caught wind of his thoughts. All it took was her being a little curious and she could wiggle her way into his head if he wasn't careful during patrol. To make sure he hadn't been caught he checked back in with her.

_ How's it going on your side? _

She was over by the highway between Forks and the rez. She had stopped running but he couldn't pick up much else from her.

_ I've got a trail but it seems stale. Or maybe disguised? Come check it out. _

Jake swallowed his panic and took off at breakneck speed toward her. She was alone, his  _ mate _ , she could be in trouble.

_ Whoa _ where did that come from? She was a wolf herself. She could handle a threat. She wasn't a dainty human that stood no chance against a bloodsucker. He had a brick wall sealed around his head in case he slipped and called Leah his mate again. Can't let her hear you thinking that way. He must have been in the clear because she continued.

_ It's pretty overcast. It wouldn't be too risky for a leech to be outside during the day in this weather. _

Jake could tell the clouds were moving. They might not have cover for long, but it was enough that a leech might risk coming out.  _ Stay back until I get there. Anything else? _

_ The scent gets stronger the closer I get to the highway. What would one of them be doing here? _

Jake skidded to a halt next to the silver grey wolf sitting back on her hunches waiting for him. He could tell in an instant that the dreaded leech had been here. The trail was clearly leading out of the trees.

_ We gotta check it out. Let's follow it closer to the highway. _

With the fluid motion of controlled power, Jake stood up onto two human legs. His back was still to Leah but he could feel her eyes. They had only phased near each other for patrol shift changes or pack meetings. There had always been other wolves around or at the very least one of the guys. But now it was just them. In the middle of the woods. About to be naked.

He debated if he should bend over to grab his shorts from where they were tied or turn around first. Either way he was flashing some rather personal bits of his anatomy. He was no coward and he had nothing to hide. She was supposed to be his mate after all. Leah certainly had no qualms with her own nudity so why should he be the awkward one. Forcing a stance of nonchalance, he turned to face her.

She was still sitting as the wolf. Watching him. Slowly and without taking her eyes off of him, she pulled the dress out of the cord with her teeth and phased.

Eye contact was important to the hierarchy structure of wolves. Lowered eyes were a sign of respect to a wolf higher on the food chain. But Jake and Leah were supposed to be equals and they frequently used it against each other. During pack meetings, during arguments, or pretty much any time they were in the same room. The first to break eye contact was the loser in their little game and Leah was stubborn as shit.

The problem was, to put her dress on, she had to break eye contact to pull it over her head and that just wouldn't do. So she stood there. Naked and proud. One hand held her dress and the other was planted defiantly on her hip, daring him to look down.

And oooooh boy did he want to. Just out of focus of his direct line of sight were nipples that he knew from experience would be hard from the exposure. He could smell her wanting him. Or at the very least, his body. Which was having a really hard time not reacting to the perfection standing before him.

Still without breaking eye contact, Leah spoke first, "Why don't you take a look?  _ Mate?" _

_ Shit, she heard that.  _ His eyes widened in horror, confirming what she thought he slipped up and said.

She continued, "Yeah, you thought I'd miss that didn't you, Jay?"

Jake schooled his features and fought to remain stoic before answering her with all the bravado he could muster. "It's inevitable, Lee. Our wolves want it."

She dropped her gaze. That's all it took to break her. The  _ wolves  _ wanted it. Not Jake, just his wolf. Another choice the big spirits in the sky had made for her. They took Sam, they took her future away from the rez, they took her autonomy, and now they took away her choice of life partner too. Her wolf wanted him, but of course she did too. She didn't care that he was younger, just look at him. He had a great sense of humor and that smile could knock her off her feet. He was built like a fucking tank and she wanted to climb him.

But he didn't want her. His wolf did.

She pulled the dress over her body, suddenly wanting to hide. She hated feeling vulnerable. Squaring her shoulders and raising her chin she walked right passed him out of the trees. It took every ounce of self control she had to not admire his still naked form as she walked past. That's where her control ended though because she purposefully brushed against his arm, sending an electric jolt through them both. Maybe she could use that wolf voodoo in her favor.

Calling back over her shoulder she asked, "Do I need to start talking about dead kittens again or do your shorts fit over Vlad the Impaler?"

Quickly stepping into his cutoffs and discovering that no, his shorts couldn’t zip up, he followed her out of the woods still struggling with the zipper. "Can we not call my dick Vlad the Impaler, please?"

She quirked her brow at him, struggling not to laugh at him, still fumbling with the hard-on still poking out the top of his shorts. She cocked her head to the side before observing, "Why not? It looks like it could do some  _ damn fine  _ impaling."

"Fuckin'-A, it's never going to go away if you say things like that, Lee," he grumbled before looking back up to see her smiling. Was she just kidding? He couldn't tell but damn she was cute when the tough girl mask slipped out of place.

"Fuck, Lee," Jake stopped dead in his tracks when the wind changed. He quickly sobered, remembering why they were here. "This trail isn't that old."

The two wolves wandered around the side of the highway sniffing for any more recent signs of leech. It wasn't just passing through. There was a concentrated area of stench. There were even tracks in the mud where the leech had been pacing.  _ Waiting. _

The last rainfall had been the morning before so sometime since then, this asshole had been waiting along the highway between Forks and the rez. Far enough out of the city to be densely surrounded by trees and not be well lit, close enough to the rez to be an infrequently travelled stretch of road. And right along the route Bella took to come to the rez from her Dad's house. Jake thanked every spirit in the sky that Bella had come over straight from school yesterday, taking a different road into the rez. She would have driven right passed Laurent and that fucker would barely have to jog to catch up to her. And that wasn't even a dig at her old truck, these vamps were just that fast.

"That's it," Jake bit out, "Bella is going to have a wolf on her person at all times. No more watching from the trees."

"How practical is that, Jay?" Leah tried to be the voice of reason. "We'd need someone living in her house and going to her school to make that..."

The breeze carried the burnt candy and bleach smell of a walking corpse through their noses. The two wolves didn't need to discuss or plan or strategize. They just needed to kill. Without a second's hesitation they lunged for the trees onto four paws and followed the scent. Laurent must have been coming back to wait for Bella once again.

A call to arms in the form of a howl echoed across the rez. If anyone got here soon enough maybe they could corner him.

_ Lee, you're faster. We're downwind so we have the advantage. Sprint north and maybe we can pinch him in before the slimy motherfucker gets away again. _

She was so focused on pushing her muscles the hardest they could carry her that she shut off the mental link. For once, Jake was glad nobody else could do that because now he couldn't see what she was doing. She probably didn't even realize she did it and now he was operating alone. He took off towards the scent in a winding path, hoping not to approach him head on. He could feel Jared enter the pack mind, heading towards the chase. Seth and Sam phased in but were too far away to get to them in time so Jacob instructed Sam to stay by the imprints and Seth to run the treaty line.

Leah could hear the sounds of a creature moving through the woods at a supernatural speed. She was in full instinct mode. This was the first time they had encountered Laurent again since she phased. The terror of having to face a real life monster pushed her human brain aside. The Alpha Female had no room for fear or hesitation and her wolf would not allow it. The animal took control, running full speed towards the enemy.

The silver wolf could see the leech through the trees. Target locked, the predator was on autopilot, chasing its prey. Dodging trees and obstacles effortlessly, Leah's wolf quickly caught up to the leech. She could feel her pack nearby, coming in hot as backup. She was chasing the leech in towards the other wolves. The bloodsucker paused to turn back to her and screech " _ STOP". _ The command fell on deaf ears because Leah wasn't home in her head. She was running on instinct and instinct alone. Her wolf had taken the wheel and her human mind wasn't just in the backseat, it was hog-tied in the trunk.

Laurent tried again, "Stop, wolf!", sounding more desperate than before.

Just like the wolves suspected, the words worked their magic. Jake, Jared, Sam, and Seth froze in place. Sam and Seth had been far enough away that they had only heard the leech through the echo of the pack mind. Apparently that was enough for the leech's ability to leak through and the black and sandy wolves were rooted to the ground as well.

Leah's wolf just kept running.

She was on his heels. Laurent kept looking back, throwing commands at the snarling beast nipping at his coat tails. The silver wolf remained unphased. The cliffs were close. If Laurent could make it to the water, he was in the clear. He looked back one last time and the wolf was closer than he thought. He frantically swung at her muzzle. This slowed him down just enough for her to stretch and get her jaws around his hand. Choosing life over limb, Laurent ripped his arm from her steel teeth and vaulted the last few yards over the edge of the cliff to the water below.

Leah skidded to a stop, flinging dust and rocks over the cliff's edge after the parasite. She leaned over just in time to watch him swim away under the surface. The disembodied hand wiggled in her mouth, still skewered in her teeth. Foaming spittle sprayed with each exhale as she panted, catching her breath.

The pack caught up to her, finally snapping out of their paralysis. Jake, Jared and Seth stood around her in a semicircle. Sam was pacing behind his house, guarding the imprints inside. Paul was on Bella duty, staying in Forks on Jake's order. Embry and Quil must not have heard the howl or just weren't here yet. It had all happened so fast. Now that the action was over, time felt like it stood still while the wolves around the cliffs waited. For what, they didn't know. For Leah to do something? For an explanation?

They had all been yelling at her through the pack mind while she chased the leech through the trees, unaffected by his persuasive words. The theory of Laurent having abilities was confirmed when once again the wolves followed his words with the effectiveness of an Alpha order. But they had more questions than answers after Leah was able to completely ignore him. The pack mind was a cacophony of voices, all trying to figure out what was happening. All that was heard in response was the savage instincts of her wolf on the hunt. Her visceral rage reverberated through the pack mind. It wasn't human. Nothing they could feel from her mind was.

Leah's humanity came back to her slowly like waking up from a drunken stupor. She vaguely remembered getting to the cliffs but the details were fuzzy. Like an out of focus home movie. The horrible taste of bleach on her tongue caused her to spit out whatever she had been holding onto so tightly that her jaws ached.

If she didn't know what had happened yet, the humanesque hand that was writhing on the ground in front of her paws painted a clear enough picture. Leah slowly backed away from the appendage in horror. She was connected to the pack again but the sound of her own blood pumping drowned out their questions and concerns.

Jake slowly approached Leah, afraid to spook her. He purposefully rubbed his russet fur all the way down her side from her back haunches to her neck in an effort to calm her. Between the lupine instinct of touch and their budding bond, her heart rate slowed and her panting breaths quieted. Once she had turned her muzzle to look at him, Jake directed Jared to grab the hand before it wiggled off the edge of the cliff. They wouldn't dispose of it yet if it could prove useful.

Laurent had gotten away but his vampy superpowers had a weak spot. They could figure out how to exploit that. This was still a step in the right direction. He wanted to figure out what happened with Lee before they discussed this with the pack.

_ Seth can you do a loop before heading home? Jared, take the hand to Billy and have him lock it up in the gun safe. Leah and I will be back to finish our scheduled patrol soon. We'll debrief later. _

Leah could still feel the flavor of his thoughts. Disappointment. The leech had gotten away and she was so close. She should have been able to get him. He was  _ right there. _ That leech will come back and what will happen then? They couldn't watch Bella Swan forever. The wolves were tired and Laurent would get her eventually.

_ Don't let Paul hear you say that. _

Leah realized she had relaxed enough to let Jake in. He phased back and for once neither of them noticed or cared that they had shredded their clothes by the highway.

In a low voice meant to be calming he spoke, "If you can control surrendering to your instinct, maybe we can get that leech. If we get the guys to practice focusing on their wolf and shutting down the human side, maybe we could overcome his ability and we could get him. We will get him."

She collapsed down onto human hands and knees.

And she sobbed.

Words poured out between heaving breaths and tears. Jake couldn't understand all of it but he got the jist. She felt it was her fault for him getting away. She was supposed to be this super wolf and he still got away. She was supposed to be the  _ best. _

He had never seen her show vulnerability like this. Nobody probably had in a very long time. Wolfy mate bonds forgotten, sexual tension pushed aside, this was just an Alpha wolf caring for one of his pack. Folding his large frame to sit next to her shaking form, he placed a hand on her back. Just his touch soothed her, but his words quelled the tsunami of self-doubt she tried to keep inside her.

"You got a literal chunk out of him while the rest of us were statues in the forest. We can try to get the rest of the guys to shut down their human side like that. You are more in touch with the spirit wolf than we ever thought possible. You can teach them that." He emphasized with a squeeze of his overheated hand on her shoulder. "You can, Lee."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Embry was stomping back towards his mother's house. Quil trailed behind him carrying a few bags of groceries and biting his tongue for fear of making the situation worse. They had been picking up a few things Ms. Call had asked for when some jackass felt the need to mutter under his breath how he felt about the two boys shopping together. They hadn't been touching, not even holding hands or an innocent hand on the lower back. The coward couldn't even say it to their face, but that didn't matter to a pair of wolves. Of course they heard the whispered slur across the store.

Quil ignored the comment. He was used to it by now. The rumors of why he was kicked out of Old Quil's house had spread across the rez in a matter of days and everyone seemed to know Quil's 'disgusting' secret. They weren't out as a couple, but it only took one time being seen alone together for the rumor mill to pick back up.

Maybe Embry wasn't ready to be 'out' to the community, maybe he was embarrassed? Or worse, ashamed? Quil didn't know, but any of those options stung as Quil watched his lover abandon him in the check out line and storm out of the store. Quil paid and gathered their items as quickly as he could to catch up.

It was a short walk back to the Call residence. Embry was stomping around the kitchen when Quil came in the side door, depositing the bags on the counter. Embry starting putting the refrigerated goods away, slamming items a little too roughly into place and muttering to himself. "Motherfuckers can't even let us go to the store without saying shit. Everywhere we go we make people uncomfortable as if it's our problem that they are stuck in their stupid fucking ways."

He knew Embry was talking to himself but he decided to address him anyway. He gently turned Embry to face him. Quil wanted his undivided attention to drive the point home. 

“I don't care what that asshole had to say, you're mine and I'm not ashamed." Quil spoke into Embry's neck, holding him tightly in an embrace. Embry's arms hung limply at his sides, begrudgingly accepting the hug. But Embry tried to push Quil off him the second his hands drifted like magnets to his ass, kneading the muscle like dough before sliding hands up the lean muscle of his lover's back.

"My mom will be back from work in an hour, babe," Embry whined, trying to get out of the other wolf's iron grip.

"You don't think I can make you cum in an hour?" Quil leered. He nipped his teeth along the taller wolf's neck, earning a begrudging groan.

"We're going to get caught one of these days, Quil!"

"I can't hold your hand in the damn grocery store so I'm sure as hell going to show you how I feel in our own house." Quil growled. He grabbed his boyfriend's hand and roughly shoved it against his straining erection.

Embry's voice raised to match Quil's passion. "This isn't our house! We have nowhere to just be ourselves. We are always hiding!"

Quil spun his lover around and folded him over the dining table, spitting through clenched teeth, "I'm not hiding anything." He emphasized his double entendre by pushing his rock hard length into the cleft of Embry's ass, rocking into him until Embry couldn't hold back his moans. Quil peeled off his shirt before taking a step back to yank down the gym shorts barely containing Embry's weeping member. He knew Embry liked his dominant side. It was the very nature of their wolves to submit, and Quil was the Alpha when it came to  _ this _ .

Quil wished there were two of him so he could also be on his knees worshiping Embry's cock where it hung low and heavy under the table. Fucking him would have to be enough for now.

"You can't fuck away your problems, Quil!" Embry argued. His body betrayed his words, arching his back to push back against the tent in Quil’s jeans. He braced himself in anticipation. His fingers tightened on the edge of the wooden tabletop. Quil yanked Embry's head to the side by his hair, exposing his neck to appease the dominant wolf raging inside him to take his mate. Claim him for the world to know who he belonged to.

Popping his fingers out of his mouth Quil whispered, "Watch me," before plunging two wet digits into his lover's heat, scissoring his fingers to stretch him as efficiently as possible. With his free hand he made quick work of freeing himself from his jeans.

They were usually very diligent about using lube, but today they would have to make due. Spitting into his palm and fisting his cock, Quil lined up with Embry's entrance. He hesitated just enough to hear Embry's whimpered " _ please"  _ before thrusting in to the hilt.

It was rough and animalistic. With supernatural speed, Quil pounded into his mate. One hand still in Embry's hair, holding him right where he wanted him. The other hand locked onto his shoulder to help pull him down harder onto his cock. Quil could never let loose like this on someone who wasn't a wolf. They would just break in half. But Embry was his mate and his wolf. He was made for this and loved every second of the pain/pleasure mixture only Quil could give him.

Embry wailed under his lover. Being taken by his dominant mate like this was everything his wolf begged for and the only time he was truly at peace. Quil leaned back, changing the angle that he ruthlessly pummeled his mate. He knew exactly what he was doing, moving just enough to hit bullseye. The sudden pressure on Embry's prostate made him instantly cum, screaming his lover's name for any wolf in a five miles radius to hear.

A few more jerking thrusts and Quil was falling over the edge right behind him. He roared, squeezing Embry's shoulders hard enough to break a normal man's collar bones. It was just enough to leave four finger shaped bruises over the top of each of Embry's shoulders and two purple thumb prints on the back of his neck. These were marks he wore with pride and hoped they didn't heal too quickly. A poor substitute for a real mark Embry hoped to get someday.

As the tingling bliss of his orgasm faded, Embry plummeted back to reality. Quil had collapsed against his sweaty back, forehead resting between shoulder blades.

Embry squirmed, his lover still embedded deep inside him when he spoke barely above a whisper. "Quil, I never want to do that again."

The wolf instantly recoiled in horror, slipping from his partner, "Oh my god, baby. Did I hurt you?" He had him flipped over and was kneeling on the table in an instant. Quil was straddling his hips, hovering over Embry and stroking his face and chest with the gentlest touch, scanning his lover as if looking for some sort of injury.

Realizing how his statement was misunderstood, Embry pushed Quil back to his feet off of the table to make room for him to sit up. "NO! No, no, no, babe. It was fucking amazing. I love when you are dominant like that" He reassured him with a quick kiss before explaining. "But in this context, it's super unhealthy for our relationship. Making love to you is the purest thing, and I don't want us fucking that up by having angry sex."

Quil still looked lost. Sex was sex, right? Sure, they argued and their situation was really rough on them, but he still loved Embry.

Embry thought for a moment how to explain what he meant. He knew Quil wasn't one to manipulate or use sex as a weapon in an argument, but he didn't want this to be the only way they made up or discussed their problems.

"The argument may be over for now because we stopped yelling just to fuck, but the issue we were arguing about is still there. We still are unhappy with our living situation and our wolves are trying to kill each other when we aren't  _ together _ like that."

"Yeah but any time we are upset about something, I end up balls deep in your ass."

"Which, trust me honey, I love when you are balls deep in my ass," Embry emphasized with a laugh and a raise of his brow. "But we have to talk things out."

"Fine," Quil digressed.

"How about this?" Embry suggested, "If we argue or have something we need to figure out, we leave the house and talk about it in public."

Quil looked confused so he continued explaining, "If we talk about an issue at the diner instead of in my living room, we can finish the discussion instead of yelling and ending up defiling my mother's dining room table."

"But I like defiling your mother's dining room table," Quil pouted before getting serious. "You're right though. It makes sense and I think it's a good plan. You're so smart, baby." He glanced at the clock before he pushed Embry back down onto the table and started kissing up his neck to his ear. "How about round two before we get out of here and figure out what we're gonna do?"

Embry was defenseless once Quil started sucking on a nipple and palming his quickly reinflating cock. "Fine but you're disinfecting the table before we leave."

Quil hummed his agreement to the conditions before stepping between Embry's long legs and pulling that delectable ass to the edge of the table to take a bite.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jake ran. He was supposed to be running to Bella's house to take over guard dog duty, but he decided to run off some steam and take the long way. And by the long way he meant doing a loop of the entire Olympic National Park.

Leah freaked out when he had suggested they would end up together. What was that about? She was his intended mate. Their wolves fucking loved each other. She was clearly attracted to him. He could smell it anytime they were in the same room. Anytime they were phased together they rubbed muzzles in greeting which he definitely did  _ not _ do with the guys.

Coming to a stop in the trees behind the Swan house he checked the air one last time before phasing back. No new leech trails. He could hear three heartbeats inside and surprise, surprise, he could smell Bella's wetness from the backyard. Really guys? With Charlie in the house?

He could tell Charlie was already upstairs from the sound of it, meaning he didn't have to pretend he didn't just run here, so Jake just walked in the back door.

And ohhh boy did he wish he had knocked.

"Are you trying to operate her like a puppet?" Jake asked.

Paul jumped so high he looked like a spooked cat. In Paul's defense, the TV was on, the dishwasher was going, and Bella was moaing really fucking loud. He still should have noticed his Alpha walk in the room, he's a goddamn supernatural wolf! He should have smelled him at least? Paul was still sputtering, trying to come up with an excuse and Bella was trying to hide her beet red face behind her hands. Damn, that couch just can't catch a break.

"You're a disgrace to the wolf senses, Lahote," his Alpha joked.

Paul stood up, obviously tucking an erection into the waistband of his jeans, "Didn't think you'd be here this early, Baby Chief."

Letting out a low growl at the nickname, Jake scowled at Paul while he hurriedly kissed his girl goodbye and headed for the backdoor.

"Ew, you're not going to wash your hands?" Jake balked.

Paul had clearly gotten over the shock of getting caught because he was back to his usual wit. He called back with a wink to Bella, "Nah man, I'm going to run home on two feet to save this," he wiggled his Bella soaked hand, "so I can suck her off my fingers and jack off, you fucking cockblock." Flipping off Jake, Paul took off running into the woods.

Bella just giggled. Giggled? Jake turned back to her, "Who are you and what have you done with shy little Bella?"

"Paul Lahote happened," she laughed, happier than ever that they could still be like this with each other. Friends without any weirdness. "Just wait until you get corrupted too. I'm sure you and Leah will go at it for weeks straight with your wolfy stamina."

Jake followed her into the kitchen, glad he didn't have to sit on  _ the _ couch. Bells, it seemed, had caught on to that. She was real good with all this wolfy weirdness. Maybe it was because she had studied lupine behavior or maybe she was just hyper-aware, but she was the only imprint that understood the wolf instinct side of all of this. As best as one could without experiencing it themselves.

Jake sat down at his usual spot at the table with a groan. Bella busied herself making tea for them both before settling down across from him.

"Yeah, that's not happening," Jake sighed in defeat, deflating his barrel chest and slumping down onto the table with a resounding thump of his forehead on the wooden surface.

"Why not? She's hot, dude," she pointed out  _ as if he hadn't noticed. _

"Trust me, I know," he started with a humorless laugh, lifting his head to quirk an eyebrow at her. "But she doesn't seem interested". Jake told her about every interaction he'd had with Leah since she phased. Even the blatant once-overs every time they happened to be coming in or out of the wolf together. Bella laughed a deep belly laugh at the nickname 'Vlad the Impaler' and they got off topic for a few minutes exchanging the funniest names they could think of for penises between sips of tea. But what immediately struck a chord with Bella was when Jake got to the part about telling Leah they were inevitable.

She sighed and rolled her eyes, "Jacob, you are an idiot. I say that with all my love, but you are an idiot."

"What did I do now?" He looked incredulous. "I know it's gonna happen, she knows it's gonna happen, and our wolves are begging for us to get with the program."

"Is she a wolf?" Bella prompted.

"Duh, Bells. Now who's the idiot?" He scoffed, reverting back to the sixteen-year-old boy he was at heart. These days his Bells was the only one who saw that side of him. He was an Alpha and a Chief-in-Training to everyone else, no vulnerabilities allowed, no weakness, and definitely no dumb jokes. He missed hanging out with Quil and Embry, drinking warm sodas and flipping through playboy's in the garage.  _ Oh shit _ , how much of that had been a complete lie to stay in the closet? They had to constantly hide their truth even to their best friend, and worse, to each other. Shaking his head as if to physically remove the thoughts, he focused back on the present. He would address that whole bucket of worms later.

"Yeah, but is she only a wolf?" Bella continued, finally making her point. "After the chaotic heartbreak of losing Sam, do you think she's thrilled to have her love life dictated by the spirits once again? You told her that your wolf wanted her. Does she know that you, the man, want her too?"

_ Damn, women are smart. _

"You're a genius, Bells," his brain jumped into overdrive planning how he was going to woo Leah Clearwater.

Bella snapped his attention back before his eyes completely glazed over, "Try focusing on a relationship from the ground up, not built on the wolfy magic mumbo jumbo."

"Mumbo jumbo? You know that mumbo jumbo is what brought you and Paul together, he might not appreciate your tone on the matter," Jake pointed out with a chuckle.

Bella scoffed and smacked him on the arm before resting her chin on her knuckles, her elbows propped on the table. "Oh shut up, he knows I love him."

Bella hadn't even realized what she had said until Jake raised his eyebrows at her in question, "I'm glad you're finally figuring that out, but can you repeat that for me. Sorry, I didn't hear you." He playfully cupped his hand behind his ear. "Maybe a little louder for the people in the back?"

"Oh my god," her hands dropped to the table with a smack. Her big doe eyes were wide with the realization. "I love Paul."

She frantically got up from the table, tripping over the leg of the chair, and bounded gracelessly to the front door. She awkwardly shoved her feet into her favorite purple chucks, crushing the back of them to avoid having to do up the laces.

Keys in hand, she paused to look back when Jake spoke through his laughter, "Bells, where are you going? It's dark out!"

"I need to tell him!” Her eyes were wild with excitement and determination. Her mind was made up. It was so obvious now that she could admit it to herself. What was she waiting for?!

“I have a boyfriend I need to go sleep with!"

Revised 10/10/2020


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Paul was not kidding when he told Jake his plans for the evening. He ran straight home at full speed. He was slower on feet instead of paws but it was worth it to preserve the essence of his imprint. When Baby Chief had so rudely interrupted, Bella had been cresting her second orgasm from Paul's hands alone. She had been  _ soaked _ and all that dripping goodness was preserved on his digits for his enjoyment. Bella would probably be embarrassed and a little grossed out if she knew he wasn't kidding, but it's the wolf. Scent is so integral to their very beings and the scent of his mate's sex is like an aphrodisiac uniquely made for him.

The screen door had barely slapped shut behind him before Paul had one meaty hand down his pants, wrapped around his straining length and the other in his mouth, savoring the flavor of Bella's pleasure. There had been promises of a blowjob, but he took far too long savoring Bella's poorly muffled moans to get his own needs satiated. Imagining her lips wrapped around him was all it took for him to paint his hand and stomach white with his release.

He sighed and went to find kleenex or something to wipe his spunk off. That would never be satisfying like the blowjob he could have gotten. Disappointed was an understatement. If Jake wasn't his Alpha now, Paul would without a doubt be pounding his face in later.

When he first imprinted, Paul had been so worried about Jake and Bella being a couple. The idea was straight up laughable now. The way she creamed her jeans just from Paul walking in a room left no question to who her body belonged to. But he wanted more. He wanted her heart and her future. 

Billy Black had helped over the course of a few free afternoons to help Paul craft his very own Quileute promise bracelet for Bella. Paul had kept it a secret by giving vague excuses when he needed someone to cover a patrol shift. He wasn’t embarrassed about the bracelet, just the fact that he needed Billy’s help. Typically it was a craft taught from father to son, but Paul wouldn’t have wanted that even if his dad had tried. Anything Alexander Lahote had to offer would have been tainted with the abuse and neglect from Paul’s childhood. He didn't need those bad memories carrying over into this new life.

It was a black and white difference between those memories and the present. Bella had given him the chance to start over instead of repeating his father’s mistakes. He was going to tell Bella he loved her and give her the bracelet. She loved him too, didn't she? He knew she was going to say it back. What's the worst that could happen? Paul made the mistake of answering his own question. She could deny the imprint and move to Florida with her mom and never come back. OK, that's not an option. Paul would just curl up in a ball and die. Maybe thinking of the worst case scenario wasn't a good idea.

Before Paul got too far down the rabbit hole of planning a suicide gruesome enough to kill a wolf, he heard the chugging Chevy engine he knew almost as well as the sweet sound of Bella's heart. His first reaction was elation. Bella was here! Man, imprinting was some weird shit. He didn't even know if it was really her. It could be Jacob or Charlie driving her monster of a truck but his body was  _ cocked _ and ready to go at just the thought that she might be driving down the main road of the rez.

The excitement quickly was replaced with worry. She was supposed to be home with Baby Chief on Bella Watch. Even if it was Jacob or Charlie, was something wrong with her? Was she hurt? Were there vamps in Forks?

As the truck got closer, his worry only grew. His house was far enough into the woods that sound carried. Paul could now hear her familiar heartbeat mixed with the sound of the engine. Her heart was pounding. She was hurt or upset or  _ something.  _ Where was Jacob?!

Bella was still half a mile away, but he couldn't stand the wait. He launched himself off the couch where he had collapsed after cleaning himself up. Paul was out the front door and snarling in the blink of an eye. He was fully prepared to tear apart whatever had upset or hurt his imprint. But she was coming to him. Any second now she would be pulling onto the dirt road to his house and in his arms. He could smell her now. She didn't smell of blood or fear. She wasn't hurt. But she was  _ anxious. _

The mouth-watering scent of her filled the air as her truck turned into view. Through the windshield he could see her white knuckled grip on the wheel and the look of surprise that flashed across her features when she saw him standing in the middle of the road. She pulled her truck to the side of the dirt road and cut the engine. The silence felt profound. Paul strained his ears to make sure they were alone. Nothing was chasing her, nothing out here was a threat to his imprint. Just small woodland creatures and bugs in the night.

The red truck made a horrible creaking noise as she pushed the heavy door open and a new smell flooded his senses. One he was quite familiar with.

"Paul," the name was a prayer on her lips. They had just been together a few hours beforehand, but something had changed. She seemed nervous and his wolf did not like their imprint being uncomfortable. He pulled her down from the seat of the truck with two hands that wrapped nearly all the way around her waist. Before he could get distracted by the aphrodisiac of her desire wafting off of her, he demanded, worry obvious in his tone, "Where is Jake? Why are you alone?"

Trusting him to catch her, because he always would, Bella jumped with her hands on his shoulders and wrapped her legs around his hips before answering. She chose to ignore the second question. Jake and Paul were always mentioning that she shouldn't be alone and it was driving her  _ insane _ . She'd deal with that another time.

"Now look who's breaking the rule. It's disturbing how often Jake comes up in conversation when we are...intimate."

Her confidence wavered towards the end there. She was still determined in her mission of why she drove down here, but now that she was in Paul's arms about to complete the act, she was getting stage fright. This was a man who knew what he was doing. He had proved that enough times with just his hands and his mouth. He chuckled and gave her ass a squeeze, bringing her back to the present.

"This isn't exactly scandalous, Princess. We're not even in the house yet," he leered before raising his eyebrows. "Unless you were interested in getting dirty in the front yard. Maybe in the woods? Ooh my wolf would love it if I got my tongue in you in the woods."

He was already walking towards the trees, Baby Chief forgotten and his obvious erection rubbing against her core with every step. Paul licked up the length of her neck to her ear, demonstrating what he wanted to do to other parts of her body. She nearly forgot to protest because of his distracting nips and licks. He was serious as a heart attack, he would totally eat her out in the woods. She had a feeling it was a fantasy he was determined to fulfill someday because he mentioned it a few too many times to be joking. Must be a wolf thing.  _ Focus, Bella. _

"Wait!" Bella cried, prying her neck from Paul's mouth with a pop. That was definitely going to leave a mark on her pale skin. "We should go inside, I have something I want to tell you."

Paul's preternatural grace failed him and he stumbled at her words. That sounded ominous. Was she breaking up with him? No way. She didn't sound mad so maybe it wasn't a bad thing? Maybe she won the lottery and got him a puppy and Santa was real.

"Umm ok, we can go inside." Still supporting her weight in his hands as if she weighed nothing, Paul turned back to the house. It had to be bad news, that's just how things went for Paul. Santa wasn't real and if he was, Santa was a real jackass for skipping the Lahote home every year. Now was not the time for childhood bitterness, he had a relationship to save.  _ The bracelet.  _ Now was the perfect time. He was going to tell her how he felt and she would stay with him. Possibly out of pity but he would take it.

He passed through the front door that he had left open in his haste to see Bella's truck pull up. Not wanting to let her get too far away, he settled himself on the couch still holding her legs on either side of him. His hands were still at home on her ass, but this spot on the couch was purposefully within reach of the drawer in the side table where her promise bracelet was hidden.

"Bella, before you tell me your thing, can I go first?"

Paul was known as the strategist on the battlefield, but when it came to emotions? He might as well start waving a white flag. He thought she'd stay if he could profess his undying love like they did in those sappy books she read.  _ Shit _ , maybe he should have read something by Jane Austen before preparing a monologue for the world's biggest female classics nerd.

Bella looked a little taken aback. This wasn't how she thought this would happen and Paul was getting off track.

"Uhh yeah, you can go first, I guess," she stammered hoping this wouldn't take long. Ever since she decided to sleep with Paul, even if it was only half an hour ago, she had been working herself up. Now any delay seemed like whatever the opposite of foreplay was. Was there a word for that?  _ Focus, Bella. _

Paul began by trying to explain that he didn't have great examples of successful relationships in the past and he'd never really tried to have one before but Bella was different and not just because of the imprint. She was...blah, blah, blah...

Bella would feel terrible about it later on, but goddamnit there was dick to be had. She knew Paul was having a really hard time sharing his feelings so she rationalized that she was doing him a favor by interrupting him with a forceful kiss.

Pulling back with a wet smacking sound she explained herself, rushing to get it all out in one breath, "I'm sorry, but I know you love me and I love you and I want to have sex."

A year ago Bella would never have done that or said something so bold, but she liked to think she knew Paul well enough that she'd get the outcome she was hoping for. Oh boy, did she love being right. The look of shock and awe on his face was priceless, but the way his voice cracked was even better.

"Woman! Why did you let me talk at all when that was the thing you wanted to tell me?!" Paul was only wearing the wolfpack uniform of cutoffs so his first priority was getting her undressed. He flopped her down onto her back on the couch, immediately diving into her neck with his lips. His hands were panty- seeking missiles on a mission. Supernatural speed had her shoes and socks off, her jeans hanging over the back of the couch, and Paul's hands everywhere he could find skin to caress.

A breathless "Wait!" from Bella had Paul frozen above her like a russet statue. His hands were stopped halfway up her back towards the hook of her bra and his mouth slowly pulled back from her collarbone as if he was afraid to spook her.

"This is not happening on a couch," she gently reprimanded him, "and if you're wearing spongebob boxers, I'm going home." Her smirk gave away the emptiness of her threat but the point was made just the same. This wasn't a sloppy romp on a couch, this was the binding of their souls. Taking this step together meant sealing the imprint and their futures together.

Paul quickly sobered when some blood actually made it to the head on his shoulders. This wasn't just another fuck this was  _ the _ fuck. Give him a break, he never claimed to be a poet. But he knew this was important and  _ thank the spirits _ that Bella knew just what to say to snap him into focus. Even if it was a joke about her first and only sexual encounter with another man. Sex on a couch was not what Bella deserved. She was to be worshipped.

Paul sat up and settled back onto his heels, still nestled between her legs, and appreciated the woman spread out under him. She was still clad in only a t-shirt, bra, and underwear. He hooked a finger into her panties and let them snap back to her sensitive flesh.

"Lose these and you're Winnie the Pooh," Paul teased, trying to get back to their comfortable banter. It was easier than heavy feelings.

"I think my shirt would have to be a crop top," Bella fired back without pause, "Winnie the Pooh's belly is always hanging out."

"God, I love you," were the last words spoken for quite some time. His lips crashed into hers with a flurry of tongues and teeth. With effortless strength only explained by the supernatural, Paul stood up bringing Bella with him. He kept her close with her legs wrapped around him once again, keeping his mouth busy with any skin he could reach. He walked her down the hallway, to his bedroom. She wanted a bed, he had a bed. Paul had been prepared for this day for weeks. He kept his sheets clean and his room tidy just in case this very scenario played out. And fuck yeah, he had dreamed about it.

Her nails scratched through his hair and her head hung back with breathless moans from the feeling of his lips on her neck. He set her down just before the foot of the bed and she whimpered at the loss of contact. He needed to get her naked and he knew it was awkward to undress while horizontal. He made quick work of her shirt and bra, leaving panties for last to not overwhelm her.

Bella's hands hesitated on his cutoffs. Was she ready for this? All it took was one look up into Paul's eyes to convince her. She saw his love, his heart, and his desire in those eyes. She trusted him.

With that last push of confidence, Bella dropped his cutoffs to the floor and hooked her thumbs in her own underwear to slide them down. Being completely naked together was another first for today. By taking them off herself, she was hoping to show Paul she meant business.

Paul was suddenly overly aware of how close to home his dick was. Paradise was so close, he could slip right in if he laid her down. It would probably still hurt for her if she had only done it the one time, so he was going to go slow and make sure she had already had an orgasm first. He couldn't bear the idea of hurting her.

He kneeled before her and took a nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the hardened peak. Bella's fingers dug into his shoulders, a petition for more. His hands worshiped the expanse of skin that was now available to him. One of his large, dark hands made sure her other breast got equal attention while the other trailed down her body to test the water.

Holy shit, she was wet. His fingers easily slid between slick thighs and teased her entrance. He needed a taste. He pushed her back a step until her legs hit the bed and she understood the implied instruction, laying back for him. Paul didn't waste a second before spreading her open for him and licking the length of her slit. His hands massaged up her legs while his tongue and lips worked her center.

Bella was pulling so hard on his hair it was almost painful. Desperate to be inside her, he brought her to orgasm as quickly as he knew how. Two fingers in a come hither motion inside her, tight lips around her clit, and his tongue flicking her bundle as quickly as he could. Her walls clamped down on his fingers and his name fell from her lips as she crested the wave of bliss.

Wasting no time, Paul quickly moved up her body. Nestled between her thighs, Paul relished the way her fully naked body felt wrapped around his. He licked up the column of her neck before settling his weight above her, staring deep into her eyes. One hand supported his weight by her head, the other guided himself into her in one swift motion.

The pain she was expecting was replaced by the continuation of her orgasm from the new sensation of being so full. This was nothing like she had experienced before. She knew Paul was big. Hell, she could only fit half of him in her mouth, but it felt like he was splitting her in half. And  _ fuck _ did it feel good.

It took every ounce of control for Paul to hold still once he was inside her, but he knew he'd cum in an instant if he moved a millimeter. He had been waiting for this for what felt like years. His wolf would have argued  _ lifetimes _ . Paul wanted to make this last as long as possible, but she felt too damn good. 

Bella had her fingers clawed into his lower back as if to pull him impossibly closer.

“ _ Please _ ,” she breathed out.

A groan of pleasure, forced out the breath he didn’t realize he was holding. Paul had said way back in the beginning that he would wait until she was begging for it. He couldn’t have imagined this playing out a better way.

Painfully slow, he pulled out to the tip and just as slowly pushed back in. He wanted to make sure this wasn't hurting her before he really got going. By the look on her face, pain was the farthest thing from her mind. He gave her one last passionate kiss before sitting back to bring his knees underneath him to get more leverage behind his thrusts.

He loved the view from here. His wolf loved the submissive stance of its mate and he loved the sight of his solid length moving in and out of her, slick with her pleasure. He began to thrust in earnest. He had fully intended to take this slow, but the need to  _ take _ her overpowered him. Each inward stroke was followed by a beautiful noise from Bella. God, he could listen to her mewls and cries all day.

She needed to touch him. She reached for any part of her lover she could reach, her hands never staying one place too long. His massive chest was beginning to bead with sweat. His arms felt so powerful holding her to him. She ran a hand up the side of his neck and around to run her fingers through the silky shorter hair at the nape of his neck. 

Every other panting breath, Paul let out a rumbling growl. The sound sent a jolt of pleasure down her spine. All man and magic and  _ hers. _ He felt like power. He felt so good and she wanted to tell him but his unforgiving pace left her unable to form words, let alone a thought. He filled her so completely. There was no doubt their bodies were made for each other.

He wanted this to last all day, all week, all  _ year _ . He wanted to move in and make her body his home. But he couldn't hold back any longer. He felt his release looming, but she needed to cum first. Without slowing his pace, he ran a hand up her side to cup her breast. He loved the way they moved while he pounded into her. He pinched her nipple, causing her to gasp. He'd definitely need to give those rosy buds more attention next time. They weren't even done and he was already impatient, planning for the next time he got to feel her slick heat wrapped around him.

His hand trailed down her torso until his thumb found her clit. Pressing down on her tight bundle of nerves, he thrust into her as hard as her fragile human body could handle. Three final brutal strokes sent them over the edge together. Bella's cries were music to his ears, but nothing compared to the look on her face. That image was something he hoped to never forget.

Folding over her, he cupped the back of her head and kissed her with all the passion and love he felt for this woman in his arms. A few more small rocking motions extended the waves of her orgasm as the base of his cock moved against her clit. She clung to him with all of her strength and cried into his mouth.

Taking a moment to just hold each other and share panting breaths, they both drifted back to earth. A tingling sensation spread wherever their skin touched. Bella didn't think that was normal, but she didn't have a frame of reference to base it off of. Paul had definitely never felt that before with another woman.

"That’s our bond, Princess," Paul whispered, not wanting to break the trance. "My wolf has never felt more at peace. He's usually just under the surface, clawing to get out, but right now it feels like it's just me again. I haven't felt this human since before I phased.  _ Thank you. _ " The last words were a reverent prayer. To the spirits who blessed him with an imprint. To this woman that he got to love. And to every other deity in the sky, thanking them that she loved him too.

In their few months together, Bella was just beginning to understand the turmoil that raged inside of Paul. A constant war between man and beast and his soul was the battleground. He held onto anger so profound, yet a deep seeded need to be loved. She wanted to help soothe him however she could. 

As he slowly pulled his softening member out of her, the loss of him manifested as a physical ache in her chest. Her legs felt like jello and her heart was still racing like she ran a marathon.

He wanted to give her the bracelet before round two. After fucking her the way his wolf demanded, the man wanted to make love for the first time those words actually meant something. Paul pressed a quick kiss to her forehead before whispering, "give me one second."

Supernatural speed allowed that to be less of an exaggeration than she expected and he was back in front of her in a flash. One hand held a damp cloth that he ran across her abused flesh and her inner thighs where his release had made a mess. The other was carefully hidden behind his back.

"Whatcha got there, Paul?" she playfully asked, loving the feeling of being cared for instead of being the caretaker. Paul climbed back into bed, sitting against the headboard and pulled Bella against his chest. He loved the way he could completely wrap around her. Protect her. He nuzzled his nose into her hair for one last breath of her calming aroma to gather himself before he opened his hand before her to reveal the bracelet.

Bella gasped, "Paul it's beautiful!"

"I made it for you," he said with a kiss to her cheek and dropped it into her open palm. She traced the intricate weaving of fine cords with a dainty finger. How could such strong hands create something so delicate?

He plucked it back up and tied it around her left wrist. 

“It’s Quileute tradition,” he began. She loved the sound of his voice and the way she could  _ feel _ his deep baritone in his chest against her back, so she snuggled in for story time. Paul explained how Billy taught him how to make it and how he had started a few before he made this one. He wanted it to be perfect for her because of its significant meaning. She was to wear it for the rest of her life.

Bella's chest began to tighten in the familiar constriction of panic. She thought she was ready, but suddenly the rest of her life felt like a larger commitment than she had the mental capacity to process.

Paul continued without noticing the change in his mate. He explained how it's not an engagement but a promise. It was important to the tribe's culture to have a traditional bracelet before a modern proposal or a ring. He wrapped up his practiced speech with a simple summary, "It's a promise of forever."

Bella lost her shit.

That one word.  _ Forever _ . It was a little too familiar to the empty promises and grandiose of a certain bronze-haired ice sculpture. Forever was an empty promise because nobody knew what was going to happen. Not even Alice and she could actually see the future! She loved Paul. It took her a while to realize it, but she did love him. But she didn't want to  _ need _ him. She didn’t want to need anyone ever again. Panic took over and she couldn’t stop the word vomit.

"I don't need to be defined by a man," Bella declared defiantly. "I...I can't have my happiness and sense of self wrapped up in another person. I need to be able to stand on my own and survive without the support of someone else." She didn't want to completely push him away, but this was too much. It was all too much. 

With Edward she was so overwhelmed by her feelings for him that she couldn't think straight. That couldn't happen again. She would not let a man have control over her like that again. She had barely survived Edward, but this was so much more. Paul meant so much more. It was going to destroy her when he left. Anyone she came to depend on always left. Why would this be any different?

She climbed off of the bed and frantically tried to put her clothes back on that she could find. Paul watched with his mouth hanging open in shock as his imprint screamed in frustration before storming out of the room, presumably looking for her pants which Paul had removed in the living room. In any other situation he would find it adorable that she was stomping around without pants on, but here she was just stomping all over his heart. He thought she understood the imprint and that's why tonight had happened.

Paul trailed after her down the hallway after finding shorts of his own.

"But you said you loved me," he whimpered, unashamed that he sounded so pathetic. He was no stranger to one night stands, but Bella wasn't supposed to be an achievement. She was supposed to be forever. He had opened up and forged a real bond with someone and now she was just taking what she wanted and leaving. That's all he was good for, a good lay. Well at least she enjoyed it. If that's all he was good for, at least he was good at it. His imprint didn't want a husband and father to her children, she just wanted a sex toy to ride. Great. Paul didn’t think he deserved any better anyways. 

"Princess, wait! Talk to me," Paul choked. He was pleading now. Begging wasn’t beneath him at this point. Any pride was out the window when his first and only love was attempting to leave him.

"Don't 'Princess' me, Paul," she flustered, flapping her hands helplessly while trying to locate her shoes. "I need time. It's all too much. Forever is too hard to wrap my head around. I've been promised forever before and forever is a lie. Just give me time."

He thought he had given her time. He had waited and courted her like goddamn Romeo. She was supposed to be his Juliet! They had sealed the imprint bond, she can't just  _ leave.  _ Paul was frozen in place while she gathered her things and...left. 

xxXXXXXXXXX

Paul paced nervously behind the Swan property. Of course he followed her home. Before the imprint maybe he would have gone and smashed some trees if someone had hurt him like that, but that was just it. Before the imprint, there was nobody who  _ could  _ hurt him like that. So he trailed behind her Chevy like a kicked puppy who just kept coming back. He couldn’t leave her alone.

Jake hadn't come up with a working solution yet on how to have a wolf closer to her. Paul still had another hour before his patrol and before someone would come take over Bella Watch.

Jacob was supposed to be the one watching her. They were supposed to watch movies or whatever dorky shit those two did together, but no. She had to go get ideas about seducing him and fucking everything up. He would have lived like a monk if it meant keeping Bella close.

Not after tonight though. After experiencing the heaven of being inside her body and the joining of their souls, he couldn't not do that again. What had freaked her out so badly? They had been emotionally working towards this for months and they had many, many other types of sexual exploits before the home run tonight. Paul thought he was the one afraid of commitment but here he was, whining in the woods like a bitch.

He could hear Seth pop into the pack mind back on the rez. The boy was getting better at controlling his wolf and phasing, but everyone could still sense the reluctance. Paul could feel Seth’s resentment towards being forced into this. The youngest wolf snapped at him.

_ What? You don't hate that your choices were taken away and your future was decided for you? Even your mate? _

_ Just come take over, Seth. I'm not up for a philosophical debate on free will tonight. _

Before Paul could think to hide his memories, flashes of Bella under him and their following argument were broadcasted to Seth. Before Paul could apologize, Seth cut him off.

_ Ughh I don't even care. I've been spending so much time patrolling with Quil or Embry lately I'm just glad it's a girl I'm stuck seeing sexual memories of. I know way too much about the logistics of homosexual intercourse for a straight kid my age. And I definitely know I'm not gay. _

Paul was just glad Seth didn’t want to argue. The grey wolf took off back to the rez to run patrol as soon as Seth's sandy figure settled into the underbrush.

While he waited for Jared, Paul began a loop of the border getting more and more irritated with his absent partner. It wasn't unusual for Jared to be running late. It seemed these days that he didn't take patrols very seriously. He would goof off or get distracted while he was supposed to be running with his nose to the ground.

By the time the older wolf finally phased in, Paul was peeved. They had a responsibility to their land and their people and Jared just waltzes in 20 minutes late and smelling like Kim's bush.

_ Can you at least try to take this seriously, Jared? _

_ Dude, I'm here. It's whatever. _

Choosing not to argue, he did his best to ignore his patrol partner and avoid a slip up like what happened with Seth. He had been once again thinking over how to get a better watch on Bella. Even if she was pissed right now, he couldn't slip for one second. Bella would come to her senses and the imprint would bring her right back to him. But she was in danger and she still needed protection. He needed to make sure there were no cracks in the armor.

Vampires could move more freely in the dark cover of night and they didn't need to sleep. They needed a wolf closer to her at night and when she was traveling between Forks and La Push. Maybe if  _ something _ happened to her car, she would need a ride everywhere and one of the wolves could escort her, private security style. Paul didn’t want to keep her from going places, he just wanted to keep her from going places unguarded.

Paul was plotting how to murder her truck and make it look like an accident when something in Jared's thoughts caught his attention. Contempt. For Paul's imprint. Jared was complaining to himself and blocking out Paul best he could, which wasn't at all. Jared was the worst in the pack about keeping a lid on his thoughts and he didn't even seem to notice Paul listening in.

Jared just wanted to get home to Kim. They had had an argument about having kids. Kim wanted them, Jared thought they were too young. They weren't even married yet. Was Kim just trying to get him to propose? He didn't have a ring, he couldn't afford one yet. He had been working less lately because of the demanding patrol schedule. Homeschooling the pups had helped lighten the load because they had more time to help patrol, but they were still all being overworked. The fucking leech was still out there. All for  _ Bella Swan _ . We should just hand her over and finally get a good night's rest. If the leech lover wasn't around anymore, they could all move on with their lives and-

Jared was knocked to the ground before he even realized Paul had made a beeline for him. He had turned back to kill his pack mate the second the traitorous thoughts crossed the grey wolf’s mind. As soon as Jared got back to his feet, Paul was barreling into him once more. This time he was sent flying into a thick tree trunk with an audible crunch. Paul hoped it was the bastard's bones and not the innocent tree.

The man wasn't in control anymore, he was all beast. Pack member or not, this was a threat to his imprint and he would kill it. Jared had agility on his side, being a slightly smaller wolf, but Paul had pure rage. His temper had been mostly in check since Bella was able to calm him down. This was months of pent up aggression finally finding an outlet. Claws swiped and jaws snapped as the wolves struggled for dominance.

Paul had his teeth sunk into Jared's flank when they felt Jacob phase in. He could probably sense a disturbance in the pack or some voodoo Alpha shit like that. Paul could only hear the blood pumping in his ears and the wolf inside him focused on the enemy. All instincts.

Jake had been trying to order Paul to stop the second he phased in but this was over an imprint. Paul's wolf was out of control and once Jacob saw what had triggered the brawl, he was inclined to just let it continue. The Alpha was disgusted at the lack of brotherhood and sense of family in Jared's mind. But he couldn't let him die at the hands of a pack brother. Paul would have to live with that on his conscience and as his leader, he couldn't let Paul place that burden on his own shoulders.

Jake got there just in time to knock Paul off of Jared's neck. He had no doubt that Paul would have finished the job if given the chance.

** _Jared, phase out._ **

The older wolf barely had the energy to return to his human form, the Alpha order probably the only reason he was able. Jared was laid out on the forest floor broken and bleeding. Jake had half a mind to leave him there, but he knew there would be some bones that needed to be set. He paced between the broken man and the grey wolf still foaming at the mouth.

Paul's thoughts weren't even coherent. All Jake could see was blind rage. There had to have been more going on than just Jared being a jackass for Paul to be in such a state. Nobody had seen this side of Paul in a long time.

Jake howled into the night sky to get someone to carry Jared back to Sue Clearwater. Seth's whimpers were a soft background noise in the pack mind. Seeing Paul's unfiltered rage and ferocity was too much for the young boy to witness. Jake just hoped that seeing the uglier side of the beast wouldn't set back Seth's progress towards accepting his fate, but that would have to be addressed later.

Leah was the first to phase in and then Quil and Embry. All of them were more concerned about a leech threat than the inconvenience of being called to action on their time off. That was the attitude the Alpha wanted and needed from his pack. Jacob handed out orders to get Jared medical attention and to get the rest of patrol covered. The Alpha pair needed to deal with Paul so he sent the lover boys out to patrol together with orders to behave. Jake phased back to carry an unconscious Jared back to the rez and everyone took off to complete their given tasks.

The Alpha was grateful for the respite from the pack mind. He didn’t have the energy to ward his mind to keep the pack from witnessing his internal struggle. Jacob was torn between the overwhelming pride he felt for his faithful pack and the disappointment he felt for his wayward brother. He was a little ashamed of how much of him wanted to just leave Jared bleeding in the forest. Jake knew he should be mad at Paul for nearly killing their packmate, but Jake couldn’t muster the indignation. He would have done the same thing.

Revised 10/11/2020


	11. Chapter 11

Imprint bonds were one of the lesser understood aspects of the legends. The pack learned something new with every instance. The council still thought imprinting was some sort of wolfy eugenics program, but clearly breeding wasn't the goal for imprints like Quil and Embry's. They had been secretly crushing on each other for years, but there was no way that relationship was producing pups. 

Sam and Emily had shown them that an imprint couldn't be denied or the wolf would lose his marbles. Emily's scars were a testament to the dangers of an unstable shapeshifter. 

Paul had imprinted on a white girl. That was unprecedented in the wolves’ recorded history. Paul and Bella were also outliers because they were able to take things slow physically. A council member had suggested that it just showed how controlled of a wolf Paul was and Sam openly laughed in the man’s face. That’s how out of touch with the pack the council really was.

Jared and Kim’s imprint demonstrated that it had nothing to do with attraction. Before phasing, Jared hadn't looked twice at the mousy girl that sat behind him in algebra. She had been in love with him for years before the imprint. Naturally, Old-airbag-Quil insisted she was just that in tune with the spirits and she must have felt the imprint coming. It was a load of bull, but the girl was certainly in tune with her wolf now. 

Kim was in hysterics pacing the Clearwater's living room. Sam wouldn't let her in to see her wolf until the most worrisome injuries were handled. Nobody had called the girl, she just showed up at Sam's house at 3 o'clock in the morning, banging on the door when Jared didn't come home from patrol. Kim tagged along after Emily when she was called to bring extra clothes and more gauze to the Clearwater's. 

Kim knew something was wrong, her imprint bond was on  _ fire _ . She had experienced this before when Jared had gotten in a brawl with a rogue vamp on patrol a couple months back. That time he had only broken a few ribs, but Kim still felt that something was wrong. He was healed by the time his patrol shift was over, but she  _ knew _ .

This time it wasn’t just an unsettling feeling, Kim was in a fit of inconsolable tears. She must have assumed the worst, but nobody could understand a word of her practically deranged blubbering. Sam and Emily both had to reassure Kim that he was healing, Jared would be fine - until Paul got to him again, that is.

If Jared had been human, he probably would have bled out in the woods. Puncture wounds from razor sharp canines and slashes from claws covered his neck, shoulders, and sides. Both of his forearms had been broken where the grey wolf's powerful jaws had latched on. Claws had left deep grooves running all the way from his back down over his hip and down his right leg. Sue had determined at least six ribs were broken as well.

If Jake had arrived one minute later, Paul would have finished the job.

In a clearing behind the Clearwater house, three wolves sat on their haunches in the moonlight. The dark grey wolf sat before the other two wolves like a kid facing their parents, waiting for a punishment to be decided on. That wasn't too far off from the truth actually.

Paul showed his Alphas the memories of what had happened on patrol with Jared. Paul was clearly working very hard to keep something hidden from them, but it was unmistakably about Bella. Jake assumed it was just to respect her privacy because the last time he saw the girl she had announced her intentions to seduce her wolf. Leah, an uninvolved party, could see the tension and hurt in the slips Paul had regarding Bella. If he didn't want to talk about it, she wasn't going to ask questions unless it became a problem that affected his duties or the pack. She didn't want to be the kind of Alpha that meddled in personal lives. That was more Jake's leadership style.

The large russet wolf nudged her shoulder, bringing her mind back to the task at hand. They had to determine what to do about the Jared situation. Was he really a threat? Could he be trusted to protect Bella? The tribe? Everyone who had ever patrolled with him could see how he thought. His priorities were Kim first. Anything or anybody else didn't even make the list.

They had seen the memories of what happened, they didn't need to share thoughts any more. Leah liked to spend no more time than necessary in the minds of her brothers, especially her actual brother, Seth. She didn't want to phase back in front of Paul if she could avoid it. Leah knew with his imprint, he didn't care about other women anymore, but she still felt dirty letting the rez manwhore see her goods. She instructed him without using the compulsion of the Alpha command. She didn't like forcing the guys to do anything. It made her feel almost as dirty as the idea of Paul seeing her naked.

_ Phase back, let's figure out what to do about Jared. _

Paul could see from her mind the implication for him to go phase out of sight. He didn't like that he made her uncomfortable. Shame was a new emotion for him after the imprint, but damn did Leah's discomfort really hit it home. Lately he'd been thinking about how he could go about apologizing to all the women he had used and thrown away. He couldn't stomach the memories of what he had done before Bella, now that he knew what it felt to actually care for someone.

Phasing back to human, he shook his head as if to dislodge the thoughts of his imprint. He wouldn't worry about it just yet. It had been less than 24 hours since she stormed out on him. She just needed time. She asked for time and he could do that. Ok, he could  _ try _ to do that if his wolf didn't kill him from the inside out first. With the imprint bond sealed, it was going to be really difficult to be away from her for a while. He only hoped she felt the pull too.

He walked back out from behind the trees, pulling his shorts on. The Alpha pair didn't even seem to notice he was back. Jake and Leah were staring at each other with human eyes, clearly having just watched each other get dressed. These staring contests had become somewhat of a joke to the rest of the pack. Obviously it was a fight for dominance that neither of them was going to win, but they both seemed to get off on trying. Leah's nipples stood at attention through the cotton t-shirt dress that loosely covered her amazonian frame. Jake's breathing was slightly labored and Paul guessed it was from trying to suppress a boner with sheer willpower.

Leah spoke first, breaking the trance and allowing Jake's eyes to drift down her body.

"We should hear Jared's side of the story first. He should be healed enough to talk in the morning. I want the rest of the pack there too in case any of them have heard anything else in Jared's thoughts to contribute to our decision," Leah spoke with the confidence of a natural leader.

"Good thinking, this is why you're my VP," Jake joked. Any implication that she was his inferior was a surefire way to get her riled up and that fire in her eyes got his rocks off every time.

"I am nobody's vice  _ anything _ . I want a new title," Leah put her foot down, easily getting pulled away from the discussion at hand to defend her status as his equal. Paul groaned and rolled his eyes. There would be no circling back to the topic at hand and he knew it.

"What do you want to be? Co-president?" Jake deadpanned.

"Well, I really don't like Alpha Female," she said with a roll of her eyes. "We don't call you Alpha Male." Jacob liked that title coming off of her lips, suddenly taking the conversation seriously as his wolf preened. It sounded so masculine and virile. He was glad they had phased human because he couldn't help but imagine other situations where she would call him her Alpha Male. Damn, he really did have a dom kink that he was looking forward to exploring someday. Jake had to awkwardly shift in his cutoffs, shoving a hand in his pocket to not-so-discreetly adjust his hardening dick.

"Okay, Wolf Queen, what title do you think fits your position and your sensibilities?" Jake asked, quickly getting distracted by the mental image of her wrists bound above her head _ .  _ He liked the idea of being her King. Before she phased he thought a mate determined by the spirits wasn't in his cards because he couldn't imprint. Now she was here and his wolf  _ knew _ she was his and it was all too good to be true. She was too good to be true.

He had been trying to breach the subject of them as a couple for a few days now but things just kept coming up with the pack whenever they were together. He hoped that wasn't her purposefully keeping them busy in an attempt to keep their relationship strictly business. Maybe it was just a coincidence and the pack was just being the world's biggest cockblock.

"Queen?" Leah seemed to be testing the sound of the word, actually considering the title. "I don't think the guys would be onboard with referring to me as their Queen," Leah admitted, actually looking disappointed.

"I'd gladly call you my Queen," Jacob practically purred, eyes freely roaming over her body now. Leah was drawn into his orbit. She took a step into his space inhaling his woodsy scent, sending fireworks across her nerve endings. Looking just like the wolves they were, the two Alphas slowly circled each other, getting closer with every step. Their chests were mere inches apart, labored breaths pulling them together like magnets, hunger evident in their stares. If they were in their fur, the two would be rubbing muzzles but instead, their human skin itched for the contact they denied themselves. Touching as humans is where they had drawn their invisible boundary. Blatant staring was acceptable, but touching would be too close to acknowledging their bond. That hadn't stopped the two from brushing against each other every opportunity that could cast off as accidental.

Paul cleared his throat to remind them they had an audience and the wolves jumped apart. He really didn't understand why they didn't just fuck already. The sexual tension was seeping into the rest of the pack and making everyone miserable. It only heightened the imprinted wolves need for their mates and all except for Jared and Kim, that wasn't exactly helpful to the situation.

What was supposed to be a tactical meeting had turned into Paul feeling like a squeaky third wheel interrupting an intimate moment. He tried to breathe through his mouth to avoid the smell of Leah's obvious arousal. Instead of helping, all that did was pull the scent over his tongue, making his aching desire for his imprint's unique flavor more potent. Desperate to get out of this situation, Paul confirmed the pack meeting in the morning and got out of there. It was only a few hours away now but maybe Paul could get some sleep first.

Eight overheated bodies stood in the backyard of Sam and Emily's cabin style home at the ass-crack of dawn. Bella had been lured back to the rez under the guise of helping Emily with something, so none of the wolves had to miss this to protect her in Forks. Snacks weren't prepared, nobody was laughing or joking around, and the imprints were inside, safely out of range of lupine destruction if shit were to hit the fan. This wasn't a pack meeting. This wasn't a friendly movie night.

This was a trial.

Jacob and Leah stood before a pack in turmoil. The wolves formed a semi-circle in front of their leaders, tension rising with every minute the Alpha pair stalled.

Jared and Paul were on opposite sides of the line up, putting as much space between the warring pair as possible. Quil and Embry were standing in solidarity next to Paul, clearly having chosen sides. Sam was by Jared, not because he agreed with him, but because someone had to keep the wolf in line. Seth cautiously stood in the very middle of the pack as to not choose sides, looking like his large body was trying to take up as little space as possible. If it were up to him, he wouldn't take part in this at all. Jared was clearly in the wrong but Seth still hoped everyone would drop it and life would go back to being as normal as it can be when you're a supernatural beast.

Jake and Leah hadn't come up with a plan of action yet, but something had to be done. Their meeting with Paul had not been helpful in their attempts to come up with a disciplinary solution. Jared had become an issue they couldn't ignore or put off any longer. First with Quil and Embry and now with Bella. Low growls came from both sides of the yard where Paul and Jared were glaring daggers at each other.

Jake finally spoke up, his words acting as the gavel demanding order in the court, "Paul showed us what happened last night on patrol. Jared, do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"This  _ son of a bitch _ cannot be trusted!" Paul bellowed with an accusing finger

"I don't see anyone else being interrogated for every passing thought," Jared spat at his Alpha pair, an uncharacteristic act of defiance. He didn't intentionally disregard Bella's safety, but she wasn't Kim so she didn't matter.

Embry had to physically restrain Paul from lunging forward, but didn't anticipate his own mate tackling Jared to the ground. Quil had the older wolf pinned into the dirt with a forearm across his throat. The phase was right under Quil's skin, shaking so hard he was vibrating into a blur. Snarling through his teeth, the words were more wolf than man, "Yeah? Like your disgust for my imprint is just a passing thought?"

Jacob grabbed Quil by the back of the neck to pull him off of his pack brother before Jared turned blue. Sam had Jared in a headlock the second he jumped up to retaliate.

Embry looked more disappointed than angry with his pack brother. "I thought you wanted to overcome your prejudices? What happened to looking past how your parents think?"

"It's too fucking weird," Jared spat from where he still struggled under Sam's arm, no longer bothering to mask the revulsion in his eyes. "Guys aren't meant to be like that together. It's not about what my parents think, or religion. It's just gross."

Before it got too nasty, Leah stepped in the middle of the divided pack, ready to act as referee if another wolf decided to attack. They may be bigger but nobody stood a chance against her Alpha order. Jake ignored the conflict with Jared for a moment, trusting his Alpha Female to control the situation. He turned his attention to Quil who was still under an iron grip, barely contained.

"How's that going by the way? Any improvements on the living situation?" Jake asked Quil with a surprisingly levity that didn't fit the tense situation. He was asking not as a concerned childhood best friend but as Alpha and leader. These guys were his responsibility. Not just during a vamp attack or when they were in their wolf form but all of the time. Jake took that responsibility to heart with his pack, but especially with Quil and Embry who he had known his whole life.

Leah kept Paul from tearing Jared's throat out with his human teeth while Jake took the time to take inventory of the boys emotional well being. Quil could already feel the burn of tears at the back of his eyes. Even just being asked how they were was too much on top of the current situation. Embry tried to calm his imprint with soothing hands over this back and shoulders. This wasn't a conversation the two mates wanted to have in front of everyone. Quil tried to compose himself while Embry explained how their wolves were constantly on edge. It was exhausting to keep their needs at bay around their imprints. They couldn't patrol together, they couldn't sleep in the same bed, and they had to be sneaky to show even innocent affections. And don't even get them started about their nonexistent sex life outside of quickies in the woods.

Embry couldn't move out while still in high school without permanently damaging his relationship with his mother so Quil was desperately looking for somewhere to live. Quil and Embry kept their conversation as muted as possible but everyone had tuned them out. 

Sam was finally able to release Jared, trusting him to stay put. Seth had shrunk back to be out of the splash zone if blood was going to be shed again. He was barely close enough to be considered part of this meeting. All the while, Paul's rage was only building.

Paul was livid the focus had strayed from his imprint. Her actual life was on the line here and they were bitching about not being able to fuck whenever they wanted? He understood their wolves were on edge, he had patrolled with both of them enough to know how it was wearing on them. But this was about Jared's traitorous fucking thoughts and the threat to Bella's safety.

He couldn't even think about how Bella had hurt him right now. His wolf was hyper focused on protecting her because thinking about her rejection the previous night wasn't an option. Paul had set up residence in the state of denial.

"Is this really a priority right now?" Paul seethed. His outburst caused the rest of the pack to pause their side conversations and turn back to the agitated wolf.

"Fine, Paul, where do you even want to start?" Leah asked. Dealing with all this testosterone was beyond irritating.

"If I can't even trust this fucker" he jabbed a finger in the direction of Jared, "then I want a wolf I can trust to be with Bella at all times when it can't be me."

Jared further incriminated himself with hateful words, "Oh, and you can trust these queers, but not the guy you practically grew up with when your dad was too drunk to remember to buy you food?"

Seth inched further back, muttering to himself, "I do not understand how he thought that would convince anyone in his favor…"

Nobody heard the youngest wolf's opinion over the loud snarls coming from nearly the entire pack now. Nobody could believe Jared even had the capacity for such hatred, but now that his  _ true _ feelings were on the table, every single wolf wanted his blood. They were supposed to be a pack of brothers.

Leah saw that this was going nowhere and the volume was giving her a migraine. She couldn't physically restrain all of the wolves who were seconds away from tearing their wayward brother's throat out.

" ** _ENOUGH._ ** "

All eyes hit the ground and the snarling pack cut to silence in an instant. Leah stood tall beside Jake who was frozen in a crouch, ready to lunge for Jared himself. Slowly the pack raised back from their hunched postures of aggression, or defense in Jared's case. If Leah hadn't stopped the entire pack from attacking, all that would be left of Jared would have been a misting of blood in the surrounding trees.

In a small voice, Sam spoke up, breaking the tense silence. "What if Quil moved in with Bella?"

Sam wasn't one to voice his opinion since Jake took over. He was more than happy to sit on the sidelines, patrol when asked, and play host to pack meetings. But this seemed like an obvious solution.

Shaking the fog of red tinted rage from his vision, Jake was able to return to rational thought. He thought as Alpha he would have more control over that, but he couldn't stand for the betrayal towards three of the people he cared about the most. He silently thanked Leah for her level head with a nod. She understood his silent communication and gave him a small, private smile in return. Whether she would admit it or not, she loved the recognition from Jake.

Thinking out loud, for his own benefit more than anything else Jake mulled over the idea, "That could work. Charlie has a guest room and a soft spot for kids that get mistreated by their parents." He flicked his eyes to Paul who was pointedly staring into the trees. "I'll ask him. If we explain why Quil got kicked out, he won't hesitate to say yes. And he'd be cool with the gay thing so you could have Embry over all the time. And Bella has always joked that she wanted a sibling. You can be the annoying little brother she's always wanted."

Quil didn't exactly like that this was being decided without asking him or Embry but he could see the advantages. Charlie was a  _ very _ hands off parent. That and his long hours at the station would mean Quil could sneak out for patrol without issue and Embry could easily sneak in the window at night when he could. The guest room was on the first floor on the opposite side of the house from Charlie and Bella's rooms upstairs. As much as he loved gagging Embry, it'd be nice for it to be just a kink rather than a necessity to not get caught.

"Quil?" Embry asked with a hand on his mate's lower back. "What do you think? We wouldn't have to hide from my mom, baby."

Not bothering to reply with words, Quil pulled his mate into a tight embrace and smashed their lips together. There was some hope for them yet.

Jared, getting stupider by the minute, made a retching sound from the back of the pack where he had been forgotten. Much to everyone's surprise, it was Seth's fist that immediately connected with the older wolf's jaw. A sickening crack echoed across the trees, followed by Jared's cries from where he was prone on the ground clutching his broken jaw and bloody mouth. Leah was immensely proud of her little brother and the pack's Omega. It wasn't usual for Seth's temperament or pack ranking to be aggressive, but that's just how bad Jared had pissed everyone off.

Jake stepped over the wolf writhing on the ground before anyone else got any ideas. Leah had to stop Quil and Embry with a firm " ** _No_ ** ." That was it, Jared would be handled by the Alphas before the pack took justice in the form of a flesh price. Both Jake and Leah were extremely proud of their youngest wolf, but now wasn't the time to encourage violence between each other.

Leah quickly dismissed the pack after assigning patrol duties for the next few days to cover until the next meeting. Jared was left of the schedule because Leah wasn't sure he was going to survive today after seeing the look of murder in the pack's eyes.

The pack left the clearing one at a time, most heading back to Emily's where she probably had breakfast waiting. Paul was the last to go, leaving reluctantly after seeing Jake lift Jared off the ground by one hand on his throat in a display of supernatural strength. He wanted to make sure Jared got what he had coming, but seeing that Jake wasn't taking this lightly gave him confidence in his Alphas to let them handle this.

Dropping Jared on his feet, Jake crossed his arms over his broad chest and asked the recalcitrant wolf, "How do you expect us to handle this problem, man?"

"I don't think there's a problem,  _ man."  _ Jared puffed up his chest, taking a step closer to the Alpha.

Recognizing the challenge, Jake straightened to his full height, a few inches taller than the older wolf. He raised his eyebrows in question, daring Jared to pick a fight with his superior.

"I don't answer to you,  _ Baby Chief _ ," Jared sneered. He may have a few years on Jake and more time as a wolf but Jared was clumsy. He wasn't the fastest, the strongest, the best fighter. He wasn't the best  _ anything _ . But maybe he was the dumbest because Jake was a natural. Paul probably held the best chance against their Alpha and largest wolf simply because he knew how to fight and he fought dirty. Jared standing his ground against the Alpha wolf with true intentions of defiance was a death wish. In the wild, Jared would be killed without a second thought and the russet wolf was clawing to get out to do just that.

Jake couldn't deal with this in Emily's backyard but it needed to be dealt with. None of the other wolves had openly defied an order, even to Sam who had ruled with a cotton candy fist. Lacing his words with the Alpha compulsion, Jake spit out through clenched teeth, " **Further into the trees. Now.** "

Just like wolves in the wild, Jared gets the option of fighting Jake to the death for his position as Alpha, backing down and learning to toe the line and respect his packmates, or be banished. Jared foolishly chose the fight by lunging into his wolf form and towards his Alpha's neck as soon as they had stepped further into the cover of the forest.

Russet fur rippled from under Jake's skin in a fluid motion, shredding his clothes. Leah had the time to drop her dress before transforming into the silver wolf, knowing Jake could easily hold his own in battle. From size alone, Jake had the advantage. He easily threw Jared into a tree and slashed claws through his flank before the older wolf could even regain his footing.

Jared wasn't a skilled fighter and he couldn't hide his thoughts to save his life. In this instance, his weak mental fortitude was the only reason Jake's humanity was able to stop from killing him. Underneath the visceral lupine rage, Jake could see the scared boy. The Alpha wolf was thirsty for blood, but Jared just wanted his life to go back to normal. He wanted to go to college, he wanted to marry Kim, he wanted to erase any memory of the monsters that walked among us, and he didn't want to have to hear the thoughts of anyone. Especially Quil and Embry.

He regretted speaking out against his superiors. Jared used to be Beta, second in command, when Sam was Alpha and now he felt purposeless. There was nothing special about him amongst the other wolves. He was just lost and out of control of his life that was governed by the supernatural. Acting out was something he could control. Now he was unique. Now he was the defiant wolf.

Most of these thoughts weren't put into words but the emotions behind them were flooding into Jake's mind from the older wolf that was easily pinned to the ground with his giant russet paw on his face. The Alpha's razor sharp teeth cut into the scruff of Jared's neck every time he squirmed. Jake didn't want the blood of his brother on his literal or figurative hands. Even if his brother was a disrespectful bigot and a coward, he wasn't an actual threat.

Every muscle in Jake's body was taught and rigid. Every lupine instinct still told him to kill the weaker wolf under him, even with his new understanding of Jared's actions. Leah slowly approached the two wolves, purposefully rubbing up Jake's side to ground him before replacing his paw on Jared's muzzle with her own. Feeling the support and agreement from Leah, Jake was able to reign in his wolf and release the traitor from his jaws and take a step back. He took a second to gather his thoughts before he turned back to Jared to present an ultimatum instead of a death sentence. It wasn't an order, it was an offer.

_ You will run Paul, Quil, and Embry's patrols for a week. You'll have just enough time to eat and catch a nap before you're expected back out there. Of course this will be after you apologize and explain yourself. Your brothers don't trust you and you will have to work to earn that back if they even feel that you deserve it. _

Before Jared could put words to the stubborn disobedience they could both feel bubbling back up in the wolf's mind, Leah had her own two cents to add to Jared's dressing down.

_ I don't care if you approve of Quil and Embry's relationship, but you will respect them. They were chosen by the spirits just the same as any other imprint. Just like Kim. Just like Emily. Just like Bella. When you apologize to Paul I want you to think about what you would do if Kim were being hunted by a leech. If you can't take this punishment, you will be banished from tribal land, never to return. _

Jared had nearly forgotten that his indifference towards Bella was what spurred this whole thing on. It had been mostly about Quil and Embry with the pack and that had probably pissed off Paul even more. Jared let out a low whimper at the thought of his Kim in danger. He still wanted to leave the rez and leave his wolf behind. He thought he’d never be allowed to leave. He was going to move to the sunniest place he could find where vampires wouldn't dare go. That's how he was going to keep Kim safe if they ever got out. Florida. Or Arizona. Right on the beach in California.

Ignoring Jared's vacation plans in his mind, Jake ordered him up from where Jared was still pathetically sprawled out on the ground. He still hadn't moved from where Jake had him pinned at the brink of death just minutes earlier.

_ Go run your first patrol shift. You'll run doubles everyday with one shift to sleep in between until I tell you otherwise. Keep your nose to the ground for that tick.  _ ** _Go._ **

The compulsion of his order sent Jared scrambling to his feet and running into the woods to start a patrol loop. The Alpha pair gave him about a 50/50 chance of running for the hills with his tail between his legs and Kim's hand held tight. They both saw the fear in the older man's eyes.

Making sure to block their thoughts from the asshole now on patrol, Jake freely thought about how hot it was when Leah took charge of the pups. She had been such a  _ badass. _ With the pack and with Jared just now. Usually these thoughts were under tight lock and key in his wolf form but when he could see she was thinking the same thing about him, what was the point in lying? She was thinking over how strong he was handling the pack yet tender with Quil and Embry when they needed it.

Leah watched Jake melt back into human skin. The transformation looked so majestic when it was done slowly and with the grace that only her and Jake could manage with the change. He held his hand out in petition to lead her back out of the trees and tilted his head in question, exactly how a wolf would.

"My Queen."

Talking Charlie into taking in a stray was easier than Jake anticipated. All it took was one call from Billy to explain the situation with that bastard, Old Quil, and Jake had been right. Charlie jumped at the chance to help a kid who had been neglected by his family. He speculated it had something to do with the guilt the man carried for missing so much of his own daughter's childhood.

Charlie knew that Quil and Embry were the boys that hung out with Jake and Bells, but he honestly wouldn't have been able to tell you which one was which. Bella had been happily telling him stories about the boys for the past two days since Billy called asking about their spare room. She was keeping herself busy cleaning and preparing a bunch of casserole looking things for the freezer. Apparently this boy had the same giant appetite as Jake.

Charlie had not seen this much of Bella around the house in a long time. She was usually out on the rez if she wasn't at school, but the past two days she came right home. Sunday night she came home and immediately deep cleaned the oven so he knew something was bothering her. She still hadn't said anything about it and Charlie wasn't going to push. She had done a lot of growing up since that Edwin prick hurt her so he trusted his daughter to ask if she needed help with anything.

It was now Tuesday night and Quil was coming over whenever he got off work. Maybe they'd sit around and watch the game. For the first time since he agreed to take in a teenage boy, Charlie started to worry. What if he isn't a Mariners fan? What if he doesn't like baseball? Bella at least tolerated the subject and could easily hold a conversation about any major sport played in the continental United States. It bugged the shit out of Renee, but he had to teach the girl something while she was here for the summer.

Charlie did not know what he was going to do with this kid if he didn't like sports. He couldn't care less what his sexual orientation was, but Charlie was truly out of his depth if the boy couldn't sit through a Mariners game.

The doorbell snapped Charlie out of his state of panic. Bella had already skid into the entryway from the kitchen before he could even think about getting out of his armchair.

"It smells like Clorox and lasagna in here, Bells," a deep voice spoke from the front of the house. There was no way that was the boy staying here. Charlie turned to see a wall of muscle walk into the living room, a duffel in each hand.

Never forgetting his manners, Quil dropped a bag and extended a hand to Charlie, "Chief Swan, I can't thank you enough."

Charlie cut him off with a wave before he could say anything more. He was never great with emotions and if this  _ man _ started going on about how grateful he was, Charlie was going to turn beet red. Bella definitely got that trait from him.

"Just call me Charlie, kid," he stammered. "Not much of a kid though, are ya?" Charlie wasn't used to looking up to many people, being nearly six foot himself, but this sixteen year old boy had at least a few inches on him and was nearly twice as wide.

"Still a kid at heart," Quil easily brushed off the comment on his size and quickly changed the subject by trying to offer to pay rent or do anything he could to help out. Charlie wouldn't even hear him out. He was just a kid, even if he didn't look like it, and he shouldn't have to worry about those things yet. The only thing he had to worry about was following the same two rules that Bella had to follow.

#1: No boys in your room.

#2: Don't do anything to give Charlie a reason not to trust you.

Rule #1 was already mentally translated to "Don't get  _ caught _ with boys in your room" even if that put Rule #2 at risk. Super-hearing would help them hear anyone coming and the boys had already memorized Charlie's rotating work schedule. On the nights he worked the graveyard shift they would get to hold each other all night until Embry had to sneak back into his own house before his mom got up for work.

Quil was scheduled the daytime patrol while Bella was at school and then he'd take her to Emily's with him so he could get school work done. It was fool proof. Bella was protected, Quil still could finish high school, and the tension in Quil and Embry's imprint would get easier and easier.

Just in time for the lasagna to come out of the oven, Jake showed up under the guise of helping Quil unpack even though they all knew Quil didn't have much to organize in his new room. Bella was already doing a load of laundry for him and his school stuff was already sitting on the desk in his new room. That was about the extent of Quil's belongings.

Over dinner Charlie was relieved to discover that Quil does in fact like the Mariners and he'd be happy to watch a game whenever he was home. Conversation easily flowed between school and jobs and significant others. Bella carefully deflected a question from Jake about Paul by asking Quil about Embry. Just as she hoped, the overgrown puppy gave a colorful, yet thankfully family-friendly monologue about his perfect, wonderful, boyfriend. Bella gathered dishes and began cleaning up to avoid any further questions about her own absentee beau.

Bella was being weird. All three men at the table knew her well enough to know that she was blushing more than usual and somehow even clumsier. She managed to keep all of her fingers attached while preparing the meal, but the way she was shaking didn't give Jake much confidence in her ability to wash the dishes without a trip to the ER.

Jake and Bells cleaned up together just like old times, giving Quil and Charlie a chance to get acquainted. Quil was so friendly he could make friends with a houseplant if he wanted to and Charlie liked that he didn't have to talk much to keep the conversation going. They were going to get along just fine.

When Charlie insisted that Quil stay as long as he needed to, the boy got a little nervous. Even with Emily tutoring them on an accelerated schedule, he still had a year left of school after this semester. He was only supposed to be a sophomore right now but that was easy to forget when he looked like that. He knew Bella would probably be moving out to be with Paul after graduation in a couple of weeks here and he didn't want to be a burden. He really wanted to find a place to live with Embry but money was tight. Well, more like non-existent.

"Thank you, Chief. I'll be out of your hair in no time," Quil insisted. He would be here at least as long as the leech was after Bella. Just have to keep her safe until her own wolf can watch over her. Paul will undoubtedly kill him if anything happens to his girl and Quil was the last line of defense.  _ No pressure, Quil. _

Charlie could see the boy was struggling with something, but the phone cut off his prepared line of questioning. Charlie chose not to comment when Jake and Quil visibly flinched at the shrill ring of the old school phone. It wasn't  _ that _ loud, but hell, it was obnoxious.

"Bells, it's Paul," Charlie spoke with his hand over the receiver, not knowing the wolf on the other end would hear everything regardless. "He's wondering if you're free after Quil gets settled."

"Not tonight, I'm hanging out with the boys. Tell him I'll see him later." Bella called over her shoulder with obnoxiously fake enthusiasm. The jig was up. Dismissing Paul confirmed to the two wolves that something was up and Bella was trying to hide it. Charlie was either a bad cop or choosing to ignore it because Bella was the worst liar in the world. But Charlie was a great cop and instead of analyzing why she was acting strange he took it as a good sign. Bella wasn't ignoring her friends like she did with Edward. She finally felt like the Bells he was used to again and the old man had never seen her so happy before. This was a point in Paul's favor in Charlie's eyes. Paul had yet to give the old man a reason to distrust him, but Charlie kept the shotgun clean and prepared just in case.

Bella quickly turned back to the sink to hide her face. Of course Paul could hear for himself before Charlie relayed her message. She couldn't avoid him forever, but one more night wouldn't kill him. Maybe. It was killing her. Her stomach felt like it was trying to digest cinder blocks and every heartbeat felt like a painful throb in her chest. The longer she was away from Paul, the harder it was for her to remember why she wanted space from him in the first place.

Because she didn't want to need him. She didn't like the idea that she was falling apart without him here.

Her distraction was over when there was nothing else to clean in the kitchen unless she broke out the tile brush and got started on the floor. The boys might think that was odd so she chose to move the party away from Charlie and let the man enjoy his beer and a game.

"Let's go get Quil settled. We can help you unpack," she said to nobody in particular before leaving the room. The boys played along, thinking she was just trying to get away from Charlie. They were supposed to be helping him unpack so Jake grabbed a duffel and started sorting through it. It was mostly clothes Quil had grown out of anyway.

Jake hesitated when he reached a stack of books that had been wrapped carefully in the pile of clothes. "If this is everything you own does that mean I'm gonna find one of those magazines with a bunch of naked dudes in here? Because I think I'll be scarred for life."

Bella cuts in before Quil can defend himself, "Are you that insecure with your sexuality, Jacob? Are you afraid you're going to like it?" She was just joking, but Jake turned to Quil with wide eyes, still afraid of the answer to his question.

Quil didn't want to admit that bundle was the only thing worth taking out of his grandfather's house, the photo albums with pictures from before his dad passed away. Before he started crying again, he quickly passed the attention on to the next victim ignoring Jake's question all together, "Ok Bells, spill. What happened with Paul?"

She tensed and gave her knee jerk response of denial, "Nothing happened with Paul."

Jake was quick to call her out now that they were safely away from parental ears, "Ummm something happened. Last time I saw you, you ran out of here declaring your intentions to have sex with him."

That caught Quil's attention.

"What? Finally! He's doing a great job of keeping a lid on it, I haven't seen one slip from him about it." Quil was impressed. Everyone knew if you patrolled with Quil, or Embry for that matter, that you were going to get the highlights of their latest sexcapades. How could he not think about it? Quil was still in shock. Once he got a taste, it's all he ever wanted. "Why are you here doing my laundry instead of going to his place and getting dicked?"

Jake flinched at the crass words but he wasn't surprised considering who they were talking to. When Bella didn't immediately respond, Quil jumped to conclusions.

"Holy shit, was it terrible? Is that why he was such a slut, because he was so bad nobody would sleep with him twice?" Quil was begging for some dirt to get some retaliation on his cocky pack brother.

That was the farthest thing from the truth, but she wasn't about to give these two any details. "Quil! No he was not terrible. I just uhhh.. freaked out a little when he tried to give me a Quileute promise bracelet afterwards."

All Jake could say was a muttered "oh no, Bells." That explained Paul's attitude over the past few days. He kept such a tight lid on his thoughts regarding Bella that Jake just assumed he didn't want the pack seeing her like that.  _ Again _ . That explained why she was here furiously cleaning instead of off with Paul as Quil had so eloquently described.

In reality, Bella just wasn't ready to be alone with Paul. They hadn't talked since she fled his house like a crazy person and she didn't want to until she knew what she was going to say. They had spent so long getting to know each other and now that they had slept together everything felt different. Well, she just felt different. The ache in her chest got worse and the pull was stronger than ever. Why couldn't she be the strong, independent woman she read about in all those great books? She didn't want to  _ need _ a man.

The two wolves waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts and explain.

"I love him, but I'm terrified to rely on anyone else for my mental and emotional stability again. I was a mess after Edward left me! I turned into a useless pile of flannel for months."

"That was because of the vampire thrall," Jake immediately jumped to her defence.

"How is an imprint any different?" Bella snapped back. She crossed her arms and looked back and forth between the two wolves before her. "It's a supernatural force drawing me in and making me  _ need _ him."

Quil reacted as if she slapped him. Jake just looked dumbfounded like he had never considered it before. Vampires were evil and imprinting was a beautiful phenomenon of legends. The two just weren't comparable. Jake went into full Alpha mode. This was a pack member that needed guidance, it was his duty to help.

"Bells, does being a strong, independent woman mean you can never be in love?" Jake asked after thinking for a moment.

He had a valid point. How does she keep her individuality and self reliance while having a partner? Jake continued before she could argue, "you already told me you loved him. You can still be this amazing, self sufficient person and still need someone. You made sure you loved him before completing the imprint. You told me yourself you loved him. Just because he tried to give you a bracelet, you freaked out? Nothing changed and you still love each other. I'm going to let you think about that. But don't let him wait for too long. I know you're hurting. Just think how bad it hurts him."

Jake gave her a pointed look, daring her to argue with him. She recognized the Alpha before her. She wondered if he could call upon the spirits’ wisdom because somehow her goofy best friend was the only one talking sense.

He made his excuses of patrol and was out the window in a flash. Quil kept his trap shut for once, reading the mood of the room. Bella said her goodbyes to Quil and slowly walked upstairs to her room, chewing on Jake's words. She just needed to figure out how she can be her own person while still being in love.

Because she did love him. So much it hurt.

Bella's human ears couldn't hear the whimpering coming from the trees behind the house.


	12. Chapter 12

Every night since Bella ran out of Paul's, a grey wolf could be found just inside the forest behind her house. Usually pacing, but sometimes he took a moment to just sit and watch her through a window and enjoy the melody of her heart beat. If she fell asleep, sometimes he could get some rest as well, but usually her fitful slumber just made him more agitated. When Bella spoke in her sleep, it was always his name. That was the only ray of hope Paul had left to hold on to.

Quil had just moved into the Swan home so now Embry had joined the stake out in the shadows of the trees. The only reason Paul tolerated the younger wolf's presence was for the comfort of pack (which Paul didn't like to acknowledge) and the memories he could see in his brother's mind.  _ Embry _ was allowed in the house.  _ Embry _ got to see Bella when he went inside to visit his own imprint.  _ Embry _ would get to climb in a window after Charlie went to sleep and hold his mate in his arms. But Paul would stay outside in the trees just like he had been every minute he wasn't on patrol or being force fed meals by Emily.

At least the Swans lived right on the edge of town or else it would be a lot harder for the two wolves to stalk their imprints. They no longer had scheduled Bella Watch patrol shifts, but Paul wanted her as protected as possible. She was only human unlike Embry's imprint. Why was Embry here again?

_ You know your imprint is also a shape shifting werewolf and can protect himself, right? _

_ I know that, asshole. You know how it is. I just need to be near him. _

Paul understood, but he had stipulations for sharing his stalking perch behind the Swan house. Embry got to see Quil all the time, he didn't need this as badly as Paul did.

_ Ok, but for every slip where I have to see Quil's dick in your memories, I'm showing you the nastiest 70's porno bush I can remember. _

_ Ew, why did you ever watch that in the first place?! _

_ Curiosity and internet access are no good when you're 13. And hey, pussy is pussy.  _ Paul shrugged as best he could in wolf form.

_ That's nasty. I don't even like vagina, I like…  _ Embry's thoughts trailed off to his afternoon activities with Quil in his bedroom before his mom got home from work. They were trying to recreate a position they saw online and werewolf strength was the only thing that made it enjoyable. Sex shouldn't be that much of a work out in Embry's opinion, but it was fun to try once.

Paul had him pinned to the ground with his jaws in the scruff of the younger wolf's neck in reprimand before Embry could reminisce on the much less acrobatic round two.

_ Embry! If the threat of vintage porno previews isn't enough and I have to see Quil's package again I'm ripping it clean off of his body. _

_ Nooooo, I need that!  _ Embry whined.

Bella did not appreciate the volume of conversation in her kitchen this early on a Wednesday morning. Usually Charlie just sat there with a cup of coffee and the newspaper. She had assumed that was because like her, he was not a morning person. Apparently she was wrong. Charlie and Quil were  _ loudly _ discussing the unusually high number of bear sightings that had been reported lately. Quil was informing her father that this many bears had not been sighted on the reservation in generations. She guessed that was because gigantic bear-sized werewolves had not been roaming the forests for generations.

Charlie was eating these stories right out of Quil's hand and before she knew it, her father was agreeing to Bella having her own personal security to and from school. Quil would be taking her and picking her up because she has to drive right by the forest and it's still dark when she leaves for school which is the most active time of the day for bears apparently. Quil also claimed it was on the way to his homeschooling lessons, but Bella knew that was a lie. How was Quil driving her going to protect her from bears anyway? Are bears prone to road rage? Were they going to lure her to the side of the road with candy before mauling her?

She didn't wait one second after Charlie walked out to the cruiser before questioning Quil's motivation for securing her a babysitter. "I know  _ bears _ aren't what you're worried about in the woods, young man." She raised her eyebrows over her coffee mug and gave him a pointed look. "Whatever is going on, you can't be my shadow forever. Charlie is going to catch on eventually, Quil. Did Paul put you up to this?" She sat across from him at the kitchen table, wishing she had the same interrogation training as her father.

Brushing off her serious tone, he spoke around a mouthful of cereal from his fourth bowl this morning. "Calm down, it wasn't Paul. You're just precious cargo." When she rolled her eyes for probably the tenth time already this morning Quil added, "Imprint or not."

"What about when Charlie thinks you're stalking me? He has a whole gun safe, y'know." She was grasping at straws. Charlie loved the boys from the rez and was just happy Bella had some company her own age.

"I'll tell him I'm madly in love with you," Quil shrugged like that explanation made any sense.

"Dumbass, he knows you got kicked out for being gay," she pointed out the seemingly obvious.

"Excuse you, Swan, I am not gay." He said with his spoon pointed at her. Milk dripped onto the table and Bella mentally added cleaning the kitchen to the list of things Quil could do to pay his keep.

Genuinely confused, Bella asked, "You have sex with a man, what do you call it?"

"I'm Embry-sexual," he declared with a smug smile. Bella realized he wasn't kidding when he didn't laugh and his smile didn't fade. God, imprinting was weird.

"And I'm gonna puke." She finished her coffee and got up to deposit her mug in the sink as an excuse to hide her face from the wolf. If he saw her roll her eyes one more time he might suggest she had a muscle spasm or was developing a tic. "Let's go to school, chauffeur. I demand punctuality if you're going to be my personal driver." She was already walking toward the door, backpack slung over her shoulder and poptart in hand.

Maybe Quil really did go to Emily's while she was at school? It had been a few days now, and Quil had kept up the routine. He drove her truck to Forks High, left to do who knows what, picked her up to go to Emily's after school, and drove her back home in time to make dinner. It was Friday now and she was trying to devise a plan to escape her bodyguard at some point this weekend for some sweet, sweet silence. Although the constant wolf presence made the ache in her chest a little more bearable.

On her way to lunch Bella could have sworn she saw a chocolate brown blur in the trees but she could just be paranoid. Why would he be watching her here? She chose to eat outside because for once it wasn't raining and she didn't feel like listening to the latest drama with Mike or Jessica or whoever was dating who these days.

Her friendships at school completely fell apart while she was recovering from Doucheward and his thrall. She wasn't in a funk anymore, but she just didn't care to put the effort in to maintain her friendships here. She had the pack and Paul.  _ Paul. _ Did she even have Paul anymore?

It's been almost a week and they still had not spoken yet. In his defense, Paul had called the house three times. She was the one ignoring him. Charlie had caught on that they were not talking and had been much more convincing the last two times he had to lie for her. At this point she didn't know why she was still avoiding his calls.

Before she went over there on Sunday and slept with him, they had talked about moving in together after graduation. He had his own place and they wouldn't have to tip-toe around Charlie. No more sneaking in windows at night and listening to make sure Charlie wasn't coming to check on her. She had already been mentally cataloging the changes she was going to make to Paul's house to spruce it up a bit. It needed a feminine touch. At least Paul wasn't a messy guy.

How could she be fine thinking about how easy it would be to live together, but the second he mentioned a lifetime of domestic bliss, she totally flipped? Yes, she loved him. Jake was right, it was really difficult to be apart. Her chest ached like someone had wrapped rubber bands around her ribcage. She was familiar with the symptoms of anxiety, but this was the first time she knew exactly what would fix it. Her wolf.

But that was the imprint! She wanted a relationship based off of more than the tingly zap of static electricity when they touched. They had talked on the phone and cuddled whenever they could, but most of their time together was spent with the pack. It made sense, wolves are pack animals and they are more comfortable together, but they were also humans, goddamnit!

She resolved right then and there to spend more time alone with Paul. Maybe if they could date like human beings it would bring a sense of normalcy to all of the supernatural parts of their lives. Yes, hanging out alone meant more opportunities to get in each other's pants and  _ holy shit _ , that was mind blowing, but the fringe benefits extended past the sexual. They could watch an entire movie without having to listen to Quil and Embry groping each other on the next couch over. They could eat a meal without having to guard plates from wandering hands if you ate too slowly. At least Paul waited for her to finish before licking her plate clean.

The concept of forever was still terrifying. That was a very long commitment. People committed eternity to each other all the time, right? But marriage wasn't ineffable. What was the statistic? 50% of marriages ended in divorce or something like that. Just look at her own parents. That was a point in favor of the imprint. Supposedly Paul wouldn't leave her, cheat on her, break her heart, or decide the Olympic Peninsula was suffocating and move to a sunnier state. Supernatural mind control was working in her favor here.

And unlike with Edward, forever only meant one lifetime. In this light, her own mortality was actually comforting. It wasn't  _ actually _ forever, frozen in time. Being an immortal teenager sounded worse and worse the more she thought about it. Edward leaving her was the best thing that he could have ever done for her happiness.

With Paul she had the opportunity to have kids, grow old, watch their kids have kids, and someday die in their sleep from old age and be buried next to each other with some sappy epitaph on their headstones about being two halves of the same whole, together forever in the dirt.  _ Wow, that got a bit morbid, Bella. _

Ignoring words like "forever" and "eternity", she tried to picture what her life with Paul would be like. It wasn’t so scary. She could imagine living in his home on the rez. They would have a kid or two down the road. The whole pack will help each other so she wasn't too nervous about having kids, even with her mom across the country. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do for work, but she knew Paul didn't know either. They would figure it out. They could work in Forks, she knew jobs were hard to come by on the rez. Construction wasn't really working out for Paul. She knew he didn't feel any sense of fulfillment or accomplishment from that. Maybe they could go to school together or take classes online if he couldn't take a break from the pack.

They were going to need to work on communication if they were going to figure all of these things out together. They needed to have a long talk about all of this in order to build her future together. A future she really, really wanted with Paul. How could she run from him like that? After he had shared his feelings with her and been so vulnerable. Bella had been avoiding thinking about it all week by keeping herself busy or surrounded by people. Now that she was alone and took the time to really analyze how she felt, she felt... terrible.

_ Fuck _ , she had been an asshole. She had some serious apologizing to do. Before she could apologize, she needed to figure out why she had freaked out like that. Paul deserved an explanation.

Okay, so the concept of marriage didn't bother her, even if it hadn't worked out for her parents. It wasn't about being tied to someone. She found the concept of the imprint romantic. She had been really excited about the imprint when Billy first told her about the magic of the spirits. Soul mates were real and she had hers handed to her on a silver platter. This gorgeous man that had been made for her, for christsake. What part of this was so hard to accept?

Jake had hit the nail on the head when they had talked that first night Quil was over. She was just scared to lose her sense of self. Her entire life became wrapped around the Cullens and now her entire life was the pack. That's what she didn't like. Once again she was a glass doll wrapped in bubble wrap, to be protected and coddled in case anything even looked at her wrong. Quil becoming her guard dog only further proved her point. What were they so worried about hurting her that the pack felt like she needed a wolf on her 24/7?

A suspiciously lupine whine from the woods proved her point. Before she could get angry at whichever pack member was protecting her from her bagged lunch, she realized why they had gotten her attention. She was so lost in her thoughts she had missed the bell. Nobody else lingered around the tables outside and she was clearly late for class. Bella hurried to her classroom, still shoving things back into her bag and resolved to ask Emily how she could maintain her independence and sense of self while being a part of an imprint.

Right on schedule, Quil pulled her truck up to the curb at the end of the school day. He was wearing just a pair of shorts, further proving her theory that he was the wolf in the trees. At least the spring weather was warming up enough for it to be less suspicious that the guys never wore layers. Or shirts even. She wondered what he did with the vehicle during the day if that really was him watching her outside at lunch.

Quil started the usual back and forth of 'hello how was school?' Bella cut right to it with an accusatory tone, "Thanks for the wake up call, Cerberus. I was five minutes late to Calculus."

Quil was quick to counter, "If you're implying I'm a guard dog, I would have preferred Fluffy, the guard dog from the first Harry Potter. Also three headed, coincidentally."

Impressed that he understood her reference, she chose to focus instead on his admission, "Ha! So you were watching me from the woods!"

"I never said that, I just didn't like your reference. Cerberus guarded the gates of Hell to keep the dead inside. We're trying to keep them  _ out _ . Your analogy just didn't add up."

"Ok, whatever. In the future I'll run all mythology references by you first," she crossed her arms defiantly before continuing. "But someone was barking at me from the trees at lunch."

Distracted by trying to maneuver around the mass of students in the parking lot, Quil defended himself, "I did not bark."

"Ha!" she exclaimed with a finger pointed at his face. He huffed a sigh of defeat and committed to keeping his trap shut the rest of the way to Emily's to avoid further self-incrimination. Bella changed the subject to something she knew he wouldn't resist talking about.

"Based on the scratches down your shoulders, I'm guessing you took a break from guard duty to meet up with Embry at some point? He must have really done a number on you for those to stay red this long," she wondered, tracing one of the gouges with her finger tip, as an excuse to touch heated skin. She missed the warmth, even from a platonic wolf like Quil. Pack was pack.

As predicted, he perked right up. "Or maybe we just finished during your last class," he confirmed with a wink. "I figured the only threat to you during P.E. was yourself so I ran over to his place. Almost missed picking you up, Princess."

She snatched her hand back and pouted, "Don't call me that. Paul calls me that."

The rest of the ride was quiet. Quil wondered if he had gone too far and Bella just stared out the window and missed her man. Thankfully the house full of boys was a great distraction. Seth, Embry, and Jake were already sitting around Emily's kitchen table with homework spread out and an empty bowl in the middle that looked like it had chips in it at one point. Those had probably lasted thirty seconds.

Quil glared daggers at Seth until he took the hint and scooted down the bench seat to make room for the older wolf to slide in next to his boyfriend. Quil and Embry immediately wrapped around each other like a koala clinging to a tree branch for its life during a monsoon. Bella finally understood how Jake felt watching all of the imprints around him grope each other. It just made her sad. She should be wrapped around someone like a koala clinging to a tree branch for its life during a monsoon.

Before she even got settled at the table to work on her homework too, she tracked down Emily in the kitchen. They had gotten much closer since Bella started coming over after school to do homework and help the boys with theirs. They were all in lower grades which meant she had already taken most of the subjects they studied, Quileute history being the main exception. It wasn't offered at Forks High or else Bella would have loved to take it. Instead she took advantage of the opportunity to learn from Emily with the boys. Emily always made sure to save those lessons for the afternoons when Bella would be able to learn too.

If Bella was going to ask anyone about the imprint, it would be Emily. Her other option was...Billy? Talking to Billy about how sleeping with Paul changed everything just wasn't going to happen. Emily was still more of a parent figure than a friend, even though she really wasn't that much older. Just enough to make Bella more comfortable asking her advice.

"What's bothering you, honey?" Emily asked, knowing Bella was trying to muster up the courage. Paul had been sulking and angry again so Emily knew something was up but nobody was talking about it and it wasn't her place to ask. Clearly Bella was struggling with something too. She led Bella to the back patio to give the illusion of privacy from prying ears sitting at the table in the other room.

As soon as Bella gracelessly flopped down onto the top step she laid it all out. The younger woman relayed the full story on what happened Sunday, avoiding Paul's phone calls all week, the hollow ache in her chest, and lastly, her revelation today at lunch. Bella didn't want to be a damsel in distress that waited for a knight in shining armor to save her. She wanted to save herself!

Oh boy, Emily now understood why Jake had chosen to keep Laurent a secret from Bella. This little punk might actually go stomping into the woods with a sharpened stick and some garlic to hunt that vampire down herself. Emily couldn't have been more proud.

"Honey, you can be in a relationship and still be independent. Yeah, the imprint is a little more demanding than a regular relationship, but-"

"A little? More like a lottle," Bella interrupted. She was exhausted and her capacity for intellectual conversation went out the window with her sanity after her third restless night. "It physically hurts and it's been less than a week."

"Paul isn't going to leave you. You don't have to worry about being able to stand on your own," Emily reassured. Having been a 'wolf girl' the longest, she would have bet her next paycheck that Paul was in the trees listening to this conversation. They just couldn't stay away from their imprints especially if their mate was upset. For the grey wolf's benefit, Emily continued, "That man treasures you, Bella. I didn't know you too well before all this, but I can see the massive help you've been for Paul. He's in this for the long haul, sweetie. Your heart is safe with him."

"It's not my heart that I'm afraid is going to be broken," Bella sighed cryptically. "After Edward, I found myself. I became my own person before I got involved with the pack. What if Paul needs me more than I need him? His wolf wants a mate and pups. What if I'm not wifey enough? What if I don't want kids for a few years? I'm not even Quileute! I grew up listening to the legends, but it's not my culture. He's going to have watered down, half-white kids. What's that going to do to the wolf gene? We know the imprint isn't about just making babies, but what if I'm not.. enough? I want a life of my own, not just to be Paul's wife. I do love him, Emily. So much. But loving Paul isn't everything. I need hobbies and a career and, and.. more! What if the wolf just wants a housewife?"

Tears flowed freely down Bella's cheeks. Emily couldn't hold herself back any longer and she wrapped Bella into a hug so tight that the younger woman suspected for a minute that Jake had been giving hug lessons. Emily was so proud of Bella. And so sorely missing female friends. Leah understood now what happened, but their friendship was irreparably damaged. Kim wasn't great to begin with and hasn't come around since Jared opened his fat mouth. So Emily basked in the sisterhood bonds of pack mates and gathered all of her thoughts before speaking again.

"Paul isn’t  _ just _ a wolf. But even then, wolves in nature like a powerful female. Of course you should have your own life and interests. That's healthy for any relationship, imprint or not. You can and you should have your own purpose without being defined by your marital status. And I'm Makah! Just because I'm just as caramel as the boys, doesn't mean I'm not still 'watering down' the genes as you called it," she chuckled. The pack mom ran her hand up and down Bella's back in a comforting gesture before continuing. Touch was so important to the pack, even the imprints.

"Paul doesn't need a housewife, he just wants a happy wife. And right now," Emily pulled back from the hug and paused until Bella's watery eyes met her own, "Right now, all he wants is a happy girlfriend."

Jake was trying to ignore the conversation coming from the back porch and focus on his school work. Bella and Paul were on track to figuring out their issues and he had his own shit to deal with. He had twice the homework the other guys did because he was trying to wrap up his high school education twice as fast. Leah wasn't in high school and Jake didn't want to be either. Maybe she would take him seriously as a romantic partner if he wasn't a student anymore. He had convinced himself that was the thing holding her back. He powered through algebra 1 and 2 in a month because maybe Leah would take him seriously. But math was easy. There was a problem with a clear solution if he just understood the mechanics of how to get there.

If only the pack was that easy. He had problems and he had no idea how to solve for 'x.' They had been training most nights all week to work on shutting their thoughts off from the pack mind. If they could get down to pure instinct like Leah, they stood a chance against the persuasive powers of that leech with the locs. The clinking sound of the ceramic beads in his hair haunted Jake's dreams. This bloodsucker was going to keep hunting in their forests until he got Bella or they got him. The former just wasn't an option.

Every minute possible was spent working with the other wolves and Leah to suppress their humanity and turn everything over to the wolf. If he wasn't on patrol or training, he was doing homework. Sleep was elusive. Even when he managed to hit the sack, those goddamn beads clinked in his dreams. Taunting him.

He couldn't sleep at home anymore either. There was a disembodied hand in a gun safe in his garage. He could hear the nightmarish Halloween prop scratching at the steel walls from the inside. What was he supposed to do with it? It would stop moving eventually, right? Vampires were immortal but they still needed to eat for energy so logically it would stop fucking scratching at some point. Logic was a joke. He was a shapeshifter contemplating the physiology of another mythological creature.

If the Cullens were here, he'd call up Dr. Fang and ask. Then again, if the Cullens were here, this would be their problem to deal with and his pack would just have to worry about keeping the thing off of their land. But if the leeches never left, Bella would probably be a zombie bride by now. A shudder ran down the Alpha's spine at the thought of his best friend being turned into a demon.

His tremors ceased when Bella walked back in from the porch with a wide smile. She must be feeling better about the imprint.  _ Thank the spirits.  _ Paul hasn't been able to phase back since the third avoided call last night and Jake needed their strategist back up and running. Literally. Paul had been a pile of useless fur all week and if it wasn't for Jared's punishment of running the guys' patrols, they'd have an issue. All the boys at the table could hear him pacing behind the Uley home just out of human sight.

"Hey Bells," Jake said, scooting over to make room for her to sit down next to him. "Do you think you can help me with some biology?"

Unpacking her backpack, Bella paused when she realized, "You took biology as a freshman, why would you have biology homework?"

"Ummm.. it's not for school, actually." Jake hoped she could help his predicament but he didn't know how to ask without telling her about Laurent. Bella was the resident vampire expert, seeing how the pack only interacted with a leech long enough to rip its head off. Usually.

When she just nodded, confusion furrowing her brow, Jake continued, "What would happen if part of a leech got..." he struggled for the right word, "detached?"

She seemed to consider it before answering as if this was a totally normal conversation to be having. Bella was good with weird. She didn't mind talking about leeches, she usually just avoided talking about what used to be  _ her _ leeches.

"I've never seen it happen, but I heard stories. They can put themselves back together. Jasper and Emmett would arm wrestle and the loser lost an arm for the day." Jake could tell she was uncomfortable. Or maybe just angry. He knew she didn't like talking about the Cullens so he just let her rant. "I wasn't allowed to hang around when they did actual fun things in case the tiny human got injured. Edward thought their games were childish because Edward was a boring old man."

"No arguments there, Bells. But if the arm didn't get reattached, what would happen?" He needed to keep her on track before she got off topic. There was no end to her list of complaints about that asshole and his "siblings".

She answered with a shrug, "Keep trying to get back to the body, I guess?" They both thought for a while. The other boys around the table were playing along well, knowing Laurent was to be kept from the girl.

Jake needed more information but he was struggling with how to articulate his questions. "Would it eventually die? I know they're immortal but unless it's attached to a mouth, the arm wouldn't have a source of food."

"They could go a long time without eating. Or moving even. Carlile told me about these ancient vampires that sat unmoving on their thrones for so long that they began to petrify." Bella was getting suspicious of Jake's line of questioning. It was oddly...specific.

Talking out loud more to himself than to her, Jake murmured, "I wonder if the leech would feel the arm or if the disembodied arm can feel the body."

Something was up and Bella didn't like it. "Why are you suddenly so concerned about the physiology of vampires, Jake? Quil said he hasn't seen one in ages."

Jake has been spending too much time around werewolves because when he muttered "Quil was too busy getting laid," to himself he thought it was low enough for her human ears to miss. It wasn't.

"Excuse me?" She nearly screamed. "There have been vampires coming around? Why has this been kept a secret? Do the other imprints know? Why didn't Paul tell me! He's not supposed to be able to lie to me!" Bella stood awkwardly, struggling to push back the bench seat under the weight of the wolves. Finally climbing over the bench to pace the length of the table, Bella fumed.

"Omission is different from lying, Bells," he pointed out.

Correcting her was not the appropriate response to her many questions. Supernatural reflexes allowed him to deftly catch the textbook Bella threw with uncharacteristic accuracy right at his face. He still wanted to keep Laurent a secret from Bella so he needed to deflect. She wasn't his imprint, he could lie to her. Maybe it was a good thing Paul wasn't here.

"It's not a big deal, Bells," He started, already lying. "We just get the occasional leech running by. We don't let them get away." Another lie.

"Okay," Bella drew out the word, "but why are you asking about disembodied vampire limbs?" It only took a second for her to connect the dots herself. She was a smart girl, afterall. She turned back to gauge his expression as she asked "Do you  _ have _ a disembodied vampire limb, Jacob?"

His moment of hesitation was all the confirmation she needed to know why her best friend was asking.

"WHAT THE HELL? Burn it! Burn it right now! Where are you keeping it?" She paused before adding even louder, "WHY are you keeping it?" The wolves in the room winced at her shrill voice, just glad that it was directed at their Alpha and not them. Any wolf on the Rez probably just heard that.

"Bells, Bells, Bells, my ears are bleeding," Jake pleaded. "It's just a hand."

She stopped pacing to stare at him incredulously. "Oh that makes it ok." She threw her hands in the air and managed to raise her voice another octave, causing the boys at the table to cover their ears. "It's  _ just _ a hand, Jacob. A motherfucking vampire hand that could definitely still kill a human in a second if it got a hold of your neck!"

Quil couldn't help himself. He burst out laughing in loud guffaws. Embry was trying to stifle his own laughter and Seth had a small smile of his own. Jacob was the only one able to keep a straight face, probably because he was still afraid of the angry woman in front of him. Bella turned to the laughing wolves with fire in her eyes.

"What's so funny, Quil?" She demanded with a stomp of her foot.

"I'm sorry, Bells." Quil wiped the tears from his eyes and wrapped his arms around Embry as if trying to use him as a human shield to protect himself from the scary woman. "I get that you're upset, but it's just a hand. It can't go flinging itself at anyone's neck. It was just a really funny mental image. It just sits there clawing and trying to inch around."

Jake explained further, "It's locked in an empty gun safe and yes, it could hurt someone if they picked it up or something, but we're not going to let it out. I only kept it because I didn't know what else to do with it. I'm starting to think I should just burn it. Leah has been telling me to get rid of it since she tore it off-"

Emily interrupted Jake just in time before he could say anymore about Laurent. A large tray of muffins in hand, the pack mom called out, "Who's hungry?"

Hoping to change the subject before Bella asked questions, Embry spoke up around a mouthful of muffin, "How are things with Leah,  _ Jay _ ?"

The distraction worked perfectly. They were all dying for an update on Alpha couple and Leah definitely hadn't been telling the boys anything. The back and forth between the Alpha wolves was like their own pack soap opera with a "will they or won't they" storyline.

Jake had been meaning to talk to Bella anyway about the latest Leah confusion and there were no secrets in the pack. Well, other than Laurent. But this was something Jake wasn't shy about. He had been mostly keeping to himself for Leah's sake.

He took a big breath to give himself a moment to figure out where to start. "She never lets me get her alone to talk about it. I want to tell her it's not just my wolf that's interested. I've  _ been _ interested for a long time now. She's a million miles out of my league and I wouldn't even know how to bring it up." Jake let his head fall into his hands and Bella reached out to run a comforting hand down his back. "I'm going nuts overthinking the whole thing and my wolf is like constantly pushing me to man up, but I feel like such a little kid compared to her. I can't tell her any of this without feeling weak. I'm supposed to be Alpha and she brings me to my knees."

"Well she's going to find out now," Seth spoke up. All heads in the room turned to the usually silent pack member who was still looking down at his homework. "You guys can't keep anything to yourself," he indicated Quil and Embry with a quick glance at the couple before continuing with his eyes back on his paper. "No offense. And we have training the next two nights. She's gonna hear about this. Someone's gonna show this conversation in the pack mind and she's going to find out you're in love with her."

All eyes were locked on the boy as if to make sure it was really him who had spoken. Seth didn't look up from his homework again as the pack members looked between each other to confirm they all had the same hallucination. That was the most Seth had spoken to anyone that wasn’t Leah or his mother since he phased. Even when he patrolled, he mostly just hummed songs to himself to keep his mind preoccupied. The boys didn't think much of it, but Bella knew he had spoken up to help his sister. Leah had obviously talked to him about it and this was Seth's way of pushing the two stubborn Alphas together.

Bella knew the wolves did training sessions but she didn't realize it was that frequently. Two nights in a row? She didn't think Quil was sneaking out to attend these pack meetings. Tomorrow night she was spending the night at Emily's for a girl's sleepover with the other imprints. Maybe that was so Quil could go? She hadn't failed to notice there was always a wolf with her in Forks and when she was on the Rez she was with at least one other imprint. What were they training for? Something was going on and she felt like she was being kept in the dark.

Bella settled back into her spot on the table and tried to focus on her school work. Quil and Embry were distracted having a silly argument about who had better control over their thoughts. Jake was still watching Seth with a dumb look on his face while the boy remained oblivious to the room around him. Emily hummed while reviewing lesson plans and picking apart a muffin.

And outside, a wolf waited.

Paul watched from the woods as he always did these days. He watched Bella try to do homework even though she was too distracted by the ache in her chest. He watched as she packed up and declined Emily's offer to stay for dinner, much to Quil's disappointment. He watched as Quil walked her to the truck and drove her home.

The grey wolf constantly had to remind himself that Quil was harmless. He had his own imprint. A male imprint. He wasn't a threat.

The wolf hung around outside of Emily's when his schedule allowed and he knew Bella would be there after school. She smelled more like Quil than himself these days and his wolf  _ hated _ that. Angry Paul was back. Almost five days and he'd fought nearly all of his pack brothers. Jared at least had it coming. They'd been best friends since Paul moved to La Push when he was eight and now he doesn't trust the man enough to even have his back to him.

It's been a whole school week since Bella used him and left. Charlie was lying about her not being home when he called. The last call was Thursday-last night-and Charlie had lied for the third time. Paul had crushed the phone and phased, unable to phase back since. Now he just watched her. He didn't work, he didn't run patrols, he just watched his imprint.

Training hadn't started yet so Paul was still outside Bella's window. He would stay until the very last second before he had to trust Quil to keep her safe and leave before an Alpha had to command him. For now, he enjoyed the silence of the pack mind while it lasted. The only sounds were from wildlife in the trees and an occasional comment from Jake who was on patrol currently. The best part of Baby Chief becoming Alpha was that Paul didn't have to hear Jake's inner monologue on patrol because he could control what the pack heard.

Things were different than when Sam was in charge, but different in a good way. Sam was a supernatural babysitter. He just kept a patrol schedule and kept them from killing each other when they fought for fun.

Jake was a leader. He gave them purpose and he mitigated pack issues instead of just letting the guys brawl it out. Him and Leah made a good team that gave all this shit a little more focus. Paul couldn't even bring himself to keep up his grudge against Baby Chief. Bella had helped him work out his jealousy issues and it was hard to hate the guy now. Jake was also the only one who had even tried to talk to Bella about why she was ignoring Paul and for that he was grateful. When she left he thought Bella would panic and freak out for a while and come right back to him.

_ I thought she'd have come to her senses by now too, man. _

_ Fuck, Black. You're so quiet I forget you can still hear my thoughts. How's Bella?. _

_ That leech really did a number on her. She's just trying to figure out how she feels about the whole thing. Paul, you practically proposed to her with that bracelet. She's like a professional over-thinker. I know you heard her talking to Emily. Just give her a little more time. _

_ I'm dying, dude. _

_ I know, Paul, I know. Can you phase back yet? _

_ No. It's easier as the wolf. _

Jake didn't bother trying to get him to phase. An Alpha order would just hurt him and he had to be a wolf for training in just a little bit anyways. He reminded Paul to meet at the clearing in twenty minutes and left the wolf to his thoughts.

Jake paced in the clearing they used for training. He decided to wait for his pack in human skin while Leah sat patiently wearing just a sundress and a bored expression. While Jake waited for the wolves to come, he ran through possible leech scenarios for the millionth time, thinking out loud more for his own benefit than to communicate with Leah. Something was coming. The spirits knew and blessed the pack with an Alpha Female and lots of wolves. Bella had said covens were rarely as big as the Cullens and they currently outnumbered them, eight to their seven.

Maybe they stood a chance if they could get down to their baser instincts and become the wolf. Like Leah. She just needed to figure out how to teach the others.

"I don't know  _ how  _ I do it, Jay!" Leah finally spoke up. She stood up to her full height with the lythe movements of a dancer. Even the habit of running her hands through her painfully short, shoulder length hair looked graceful. She missed her long, pin straight, shiny hair. Sam had loved it, her mother had loved it. Leah believed it was her best asset. Jake could have given her a whole list of the things he found more attractive on her than long hair, but even if it was appropriate within their odd relationship to tell her those things, she wouldn't have believed him.

"Okay, that's fine but maybe we can break it down. Think about what happens and we can replicate it," he urged her.

Jake just didn't get it. When Leah went full wolf she didn't know what happened. She doesn't even remember it. It was like she was black out drunk and didn't remember what dumb shit she did the next morning. Holy shit, did she wish she could get drunk still. Another thing the wolf took away from her. Jake was such a goody two shoes, he probably had never gotten drunk before the phase. With their high metabolisms she wondered how much liquor it took to get Jay wasted. Now  _ that  _ would be funny. Maybe then she'd grow some lady balls and be able to flirt with him for real.

No, she wasn't a creepy guy at a frat party. She didn't need alcohol to get a guy to be into her. They had been dancing around each other for too long now. If only her damn wolf would shut the fuck up about it and let her deal with this on her own time. She just needed to ask him. Maybe she'd chicken out and just ask one of his friends.  _ Ughhh  _ this wasn't middle school, she could talk to the boy she liked on her own. He was almost three years younger than her! He  _ looked _ five years older than her, but she knew he wasn't some Don Juan experienced Playboy. Why should she be intimidated? She was an Alpha! She carried on the strength and honor of Kaliso, the great Alpha Female. But  _ damn,  _ this would be so much easier with some liquid courage.

While she reminisced about the good old days when she could drown her sorrows in a bottle, the pack showed up one at a time. Tensions still ran high whenever the whole pack got together. Jared was still being punished for his transgressions with near continuous patrols, but the pack also took it upon themselves to punish him personally. During training the hits were a little harder than necessary and they didn't always hear him when he called "uncle" during a sparring match. It was probably a good thing Quil had to stay back with Bella because Embry could only hold him back for so long. Of course he was mad too, but he thought Jared was getting it bad enough from Quil and Paul. No need to pile on. Unless Jared directly insulted Quil, then Embry would hold nothing back.

Paul was last to arrive for their scheduled training, waiting until the very last minute to leave his Bella behind. He had hit his breaking point. When she came down to the rez tomorrow he was going to get that dumbass Quil away from her and talk. He had overheard Bella's conversation with Emily. He should feel guilty for eavesdropping, but the relief of Bella's words overshadowed everything and anything. He still couldn't phase back, but maybe, just maybe, if Bella was willing to talk to him, he could convince the wolf to let the man free. He was just glad he could stay wolf for tonight's activities so he didn't embarrass himself by not being able to phase back. To avoid thinking about it either, he thought over and over again about tearing into Jared.

Leah felt absolutely fucking ridiculous standing in front of a pack of wolves like she was leading Lupine Yoga for Beginners. She chose to stay human for this exercise. She liked that the boys couldn't talk back to her and being in their heads right now would only make it harder for her to concentrate. Well, being in Jacob's head was what was really distracting. Taking deep breaths, she tried to ignore the pine tree and ocean scent of her mate and focus on how she forgot her humanity.

"The goal here is to surrender to your wolf's instincts. The vamp can't influence us if we turn off our human brains. I did it once and we're hoping some of you can as well. We have a better chance of getting this asshole if it's not just me chasing him. I got his hand, maybe one of you can get his head." Leah continued to pace back and forth in front of the line of gigantic wolves. She was taking deep exaggerated breaths, using hand motions to encourage the pack to breathe with her. When Seth began to snore she decided to try to talk them through it instead.

"Be the wolf. Imagine running at full speed through the trees. Think of all of the scents you can smell as your wolf, all the things you wouldn't even know existed with just your human senses."

If Leah has been phased with the rest of them, she'd see that none of them were taking this seriously. Even their mighty Alpha was having a hard time staying awake. Nearly all of the wolves were daydreaming about where they would rather be. They thought this was pointless or they didn't understand how this was supposed to help catch a leech.

Paul was getting more and more agitated watching Jared's thoughts. All of the wolves were thinking about their mates, or a Scooby Doo style sandwich in Seth's case, and all of the wolves were distracted from the task at hand. But Jared's very innocent daydreams were pushing Paul closer to the brink of insanity with each passing minute. Kim's hyena laugh echoing through the pack mind was like nails on a chalkboard.

Paul tried to focus on  _ anyone  _ else's thoughts in order to keep murder off of tonight's agenda. He couldn't bear to think about his own mate so he took the distraction of his other brother's memories.

Leah continued coaching, "Embrace the other half of your souls. Feel the wolf. Forget your human memories."

When told not to think of something, of course it's the first thing you think of. The pack did the opposite of Leah's prompting and began to think back on their human lives. Paul bristled as  _ his _ Bella's laughter now flowed freely from another's mind. Bella was so closely tied to Jake's favorite human moments that at Leah's instruction, Paul was forced to watch his love through the eyes of another. The silver wolf vibrated like the pack did in human form when the phase was just under the surface. What was he going to do? Explode into an even larger supernatural beast?

Jacob made the mistake of thinking back to his last experience as a human. The effort to meditate had dropped his mental fortitude, allowing the pack full access to his thoughts for the first time since he took over as Alpha. Images and emotions assaulted the pack mind. Flashes of Bella's living room, her mahogany hair fanned out under her on the couch, the distinct smell of her anxiety that Jacob's human senses couldn't place at the time. The vision of Bella's face contorting in pain as Jacob entered her was the last thing Paul remembered.

His vision was a red tinted haze and the only sound his brain could process was his own heartbeat hammering in his ears. The man was completely lost to the wolf.

Who needs deep breathing when pure rage does the trick?

Paul had gone feral. The wolf immediately searched for prey to kill, foaming at the mouth and snarling at any movement of his pack brothers. There was no trace of leech to hunt down and no visible threat. Without prey at hand, the predator gave in to it's next base instinct. Wolves are known for resisting the pecking order and challenging authority. 

His Alpha dared to tell the savage wolf to back down. In a grey blur, he lunged for her throat.

Revised 10/13/2020


	13. Chapter 13

Charlie was finally coming around to the idea of Paul being a permanent fixture in his daughter's life. He was infinitely better than that pasty prick before. As Police Chief, he didn't like the idea of Bella being so attached to a man with an arrest record, but she was a stubborn one. Paul had been coming over for dinners a few days during the week whenever Bella wasn't down on the Rez. Charlie was pleasantly surprised to see how mature the kid was. I guess that's what happens when you essentially have to raise yourself.

Something was weird with that boy though. First thing, Paul did  _ not  _ look like a boy. Charlie flinched every time that grown man put his arm around his daughter. He was supposed to be what? Nineteen? If he hadn't watched the kid grow up, he wouldn't believe it. All that muscle was just unnatural. Where did Paul find the time to even go to the gym? If he wasn't here putting his giant hands all over Charlie’s baby girl, Paul was working for Mr. Cameron's construction crew or working security for the council on the Rez. Naturally, Charlie verified Paul's story when he explained what kept him out of trouble since their last encounter with handcuffs. Both of Paul's jobs checked out.

Billy had a lot to say in the Lahote boy's favor when Charlie came around asking. That was certainly a surprise. Last time Billy spoke about him was when he told the story of having to threaten Paul with a rolled up newspaper for sniffing around Rachel last time she was in town. Billy wouldn't say much other than to give the kid a chance with Bells. Usually it'd take gorilla glue and duct tape to keep that gossiping old hen's mouth shut, but he wouldn't say anything else. Something fishy was going on down at the Rez and it wasn't Harry's fish fry.

Charlie wondered if Paul would be joining them for dinner tonight. Somehow he always ran here. That can't possibly be enough exercise to have biceps that large, but it is a pretty long distance. How the hell did that guy run at least ten miles every time he came over here to ogle Bells? Explains how much he eats. Paul hadn't been around all week though. Clearly something was going on with the two of them. She had been turning down his calls and spending way more time at home than usual. Charlie couldn't tell if Bella was mad at Paul or if they were even still together. Either way, he kept the shotgun within reach.

Of course he sided with his daughter no matter what was going on with them. She had a good head on her shoulders and Jake seemed to have a positive influence on her. Billy and Charlie still talked about how disappointing it was that their children didn't seem to work out. Whatever they had going on fizzled out real quick along with dreams of sharing grandchildren with his best friend. Billy had mentioned Jake had his sights set on the Clearwater girl, but she was older wasn't she? Charlie couldn't remember if Leah was the same age or a year younger than Billy's twins, Rachel and Rebecca.

Charlie didn't care if Bella and Paul were together or not, he just cared if she was happy. At her age, Renee was already six months pregnant and Charlie was enrolling into the police academy out in Port Angeles. Bella still had a whole world of opportunities ahead of her.

Paul can stick around if she lets him, but that boy better not hold her back. They'll be fine as long as he doesn't knock her up. Bella seemed pretty dead set on staying on the Rez. He knew she was going to move in with the boy as soon as possible. He wasn't  _ that _ old. He remembered being young and in love. Bella had more sense than her mother, there was no doubt about that. Charlie was unlucky when it came to love. His first crush was Sue Clearwater, but she always had eyes for Harry. Then Renee came along and turned his world upside down. Charlie only hoped his daughter could find happiness and hold on to it.

Daydreams of coming home to a wife after a long day were cut short by a personified reminder that he had plenty to be happy about now. His daughter and source of pride walked in the front door, nearly falling flat on her face when she tripped over the welcome mat. At least he had Bella back in Forks for now. She was closely trailed by her new six foot two shadow, Quil.

Charlie called over the back of the couch towards the front door, "Hey kids, how was school?"

Already headed for the kitchen, both groaned "fine" and just kept walking. Bella was probably going to start dinner and Quil will be begging for scraps the whole time if she doesn't kick him out. As expected, the boy came back out the kitchen door not two minutes later looking as dejected as ever.

"She always makes me wait," Quil sighed before he sunk into the couch. "She said she's making baked ziti though, so I can wait. It's my favorite and she usually makes a ton."

Charlie wasn't sure if Quil was talking to him or just thinking out loud so he just huffed a noise of agreement. That must have been enough for Quil because he settled in and watched the game while they both waited for dinner. Charlie felt bad that she cooked for him like this, but she insisted that she enjoyed it and before she moved here the menu at the diner was starting to feel pretty repetitive, if he was totally honest.

For once Bella let them eat in front of the TV. That should have been the first sign that something was off with her today. Usually she made the boys eat at the table and talk, but today she joined them on the couch. Bella pretended to watch the game with her plate sitting on her legs, which were crossed in front of her.

She should be hungry. Lunch was early at school and she didn't snack like the boys did at Emily's. But Bella's rolling stomach kept her from doing much more than shift her food around her plate mindlessly with her fork. The ache in her chest grew heavier and heavier until it felt like her lungs were slowly filling with cement. To avoid causing Charlie any unnecessary concern for her, she tried to keep whatever this was to herself. She felt it rise inside her like the tide at sea, but she had no clue what was going on.

The wolf in the room was the first to notice anything. Slowly her scent changed until anxiety and fear completely overshadowed her natural scent and the faint remaining traces of Paul on her. Her heart rate had picked up and her breathing became labored. Bella was clearly doing everything she could to hide whatever was happening to her. Sweat had started to prickle across her forehead. Her eyes were clenched shut and her face was pinched like she was trying to hold in a sneeze.

Quil tried to help by placing a pacifying hand on her ankle next to him on the couch. Charlie looked over at the movement and furrowed his brow when he noticed the strangely intimate gesture between friends. Bella wasn't a real touchy gal. He looked up to Bella's face to question the odd contact when she snapped her head over to look at Quil like he had pinched her. Charlie was getting ready to kick Quil's ass for whatever he had done to make Bella look like that when her small voice froze him in his tracks.

"Paul," Bella whispered. It was a realization, not a question. She repeated the name with fear and worry. Her hands were clenched over her heart as if she was worried it would leap right out of her chest. By the sound of it, Quil thought that was a distinct possibility. He hadn't heard any howls or any reason to think there was a threat. No new scents, only Bella's fear.

'What is it, Bells?" Charlie asked, leaned forward in his armchair unsure what to do, but wanting to help.

"Paul. It's Paul," Bella said more to herself than anyone else. She was already pulling shoes on and looking for her keys. She didn't know what was going on, but she needed to do something. The tug in her chest was pulling her towards the Rez and she knew it was the imprint. He needed her.

She had promised herself she was going to talk to him tomorrow! She was going to apologize and beg for forgiveness, but now something had happened. What if he was hurt? What else could cause this feeling? It had to be serious for the effect to rattle her bones so thoroughly across their bond.

Quil scrambled for an explanation to give her father. The pack was at training right now. What could have happened at training to make Bella's spidey-sense freak out like this? Had there been an attack? That leech could have come back and what if nobody got a warning howl out before his ability had them frozen like statues. Vulnerable. Embry was there. Was he ok? He would have felt it if Embry had been hurt, right? Quil searched for shoes. He ran to the guest room, forgetting to tamper his supernatural speed for Charlie's sake. Fuck it, he didn't need shoes. Bella was already out the front door and Quil needed to go with her. Charlie was getting up to follow after, but Quil needed to keep him here. He passed his phone on the way back to this living room and came up with an excuse for Charlie on the spot.

"Got a text that Paul was in a car accident," He told Charlie, holding up his cell in explanation. "We're heading to the rez. If you stay here, you can answer the phone if anyone calls looking for Bella." It didn't make sense, but Quil spoke with enough confidence that the Police Chief sat back into his armchair with a curt nod. The truck roared to life in the driveway.

"You better get running or she'll leave without you, boy," Charlie said. "Hope Paul's okay."

Quil called back over his shoulder, "Me too, sir."

Charlie settled back into his armchair with a furrowed brow, bringing his beer back to his lips. He never heard Quil's phone ring. And he didn't think Paul even owned a car. Before he could question too much of the situation, an idiotic call from a referee on the TV screen dragged him back to the game with a curse.

Bella was already halfway down the street so Quil really did have to run to catch up. Thankfully it was already dark and they lived on the edge of town because there was no reasonable explanation they could give to nosy neighbors if someone had witnessed Quil run and vault effortlessly into the bed of Bella's truck. The dip of the suspension under the wolf's weight made Bella squeak in surprise. With acrobatic finesse Bella could hardly fathom, Quil climbed over the side of the running truck and slid in the driver's side door, forcing Bella to slide across the bench seat and let him drive. The truck barely lost any speed during the pass off before Quil slid comfortably in to take the wheel as if the truck was merely parked in the driveway, not chugging down the road already at full speed.

When she didn't volunteer an explanation, Quil was forced to ask, "So what's going on Bells?"

"Something is wrong with Paul. Something is really wrong." Her voice wouldn't have been heard over the loud engine if it weren't for supernatural ears.

The slow truck meant they had at least another ten minutes before they got to the edge of the rez so Quil took the time to take inventory of his own imprint. He didn't feel anything other than the usual light tug that let him know where Embry was. He could always feel his mate and right now, he felt fine. When they were both phased it was a little stronger, probably because the sensation compounded on itself when it echoed between their minds. He could feel that Embry was most likely phased right now, but that was the extent of their imprint magic from this distance.

Bella urged him to go faster and faster even though she knew the truck might explode if they pushed it any harder. Quil seemed to already know where they needed to go because when she went to direct him away from the main road of the rez, he was already turning toward the hiking trails north of the reservation. She didn't think much on where they were going, only that she knew in her heart that the tug was bringing her to Paul.

The nervous bouncing of her knee was the only movement in the cab for a few minutes. Bella didn't want to speculate what was happening to cause this reaction. It had to be bad and if she started thinking through possible scenarios, she might break down here in the car. Quil, thank the spirits, was keeping his comments to himself for the first time ever. She just couldn't handle a sarcastic remark or a joke right now.

The pull was dragging her forward but the truck slowed. "What the hell are you doing? We need to keep going Quil!"

Keeping his voice low and even to try to calm her, Quil explained, "I know where the pack is, Bells, and your truck isn't going to get us any further." She looked around to see that the road had hit a dead end. Finally turning back to meet Quil's eyes, she began to panic again.

"It'll take us forever to hike through the woods, Quil! I need to get to him!" Her voice was reaching record breaking decibels. Quil was already out of the car, coming around to the passenger side to help her down. The comforting touch of pack didn't do much for her nerves. He kept an overheated hand on her lower back and led her toward the trees.

"We'll get there in no time, Bells. Have you ever ridden a horse?" He was already pulling his shirt over his head. He only wore them for Charlie's benefit these days. His hands were already working on the button of his cutoffs when Bella must have realized what he meant because she snapped around with eyes so wide Quil almost laughed. He hoped Paul didn't kill him for letting Bella see his junk, but he didn't think taking the time to phase behind a tree or something would really be helpful at the moment.

Bella staggered back in shock when the chocolate brown wolf shook out his fur in front of her. A person could never get completely used to the sheer size and magnificence of these magical creatures her best friends could turn into. Quil seriously expected her to  _ ride _ him? He must not have been kidding because he shuffled a little closer to her with his belly on the ground, trying to make himself as low to the ground as possible for her to climb on. When she still didn't move a muscle, he jerked his muzzle toward his back to encourage her to climb on.

If she wasn't so worried about the possibility of Paul bleeding out in the woods somewhere she never would have climbed onto the back of a freaking gigantic wolf. He rose up with impressive grace and waited for her to get settled. She took a firm grip of the fur on the back of his scruff, not sure where else to hold on. It must have been okay with Quil because he took off, slowly picking up speed so she didn't go flying off his back. Paul would kill him for sure if she fell off right now.

The speed was inconceivable. Quil's wolf effortlessly vaulted over fallen trees and dodged obstacles. The wind threw her hair around her face and she struggled to keep her eyes open. Before she could get used to the feeling, Quil was slowing down. They approached a lighter patch of forest where the moonlight could break through the trees and illuminate a clearing. It took Bella much longer than Quil to see the tense wolves locked in a standoff. Not one of them moved an inch when they entered the clearing but Quil saw Embry's ears twitch in recognition of their mate's arrival.

Of course the second Quil phased back by the car he saw what had happened. Every pack member's eyes were focused on the feral grey wolf foaming at the mouth and dripping blood. Sensing Quil's confusion and worry, the other wolves shared what had happened from their unique perspectives. Jake begrudgingly admitted what had finally caused Paul to snap. Quil watched the memories of Paul lunging for Leah first when she told him to stand down and then the grey wolf impressively holding his own against his two Alpha wolves.

_ I just can't believe this is the first time Paul has kicked his ass for that. _

And holy shit, was there ass kicking. The man and the wolf had been getting worse and worse the longer Bella didn't acknowledge them. The reminder that another man was intimate with his imprint was all it took for Paul's wolf to decide that Paul the man wasn't doing enough to get her back. Leah had managed to phase milliseconds before Paul's teeth clamped down on her wolf's shoulder. Her human neck wouldn't have stood a chance, even with their quick healing. Alpha reflexes probably saved Leah's life.

The only thing that saved Paul's life was Jake's ability to rationalize with his wolf that Paul didn't  _ mean _ to almost kill his mate. They were the ones that asked them to surrender to instinct after all. It had been nearly a fair fight between the grey wolf and the Alpha pair, a testament to the strength of the Spirit Warriors unencumbered by humanity and the strength of Paul's wolf.

This was the first time any of them had successfully separated man from beast. That didn't look like much of a success though. Paul was uncontrollable and silent to the pack mind. Leah was healing, but still soaked in a mix of her and Paul's blood. The grey beast wouldn't stand a chance against the whole pack and when they all rose up to fight for their Alpha, Paul's wolf backed off. That's how they found themselves frozen in the Mexican standoff that Quil and Bella had walked into. No strategy or movement from either party would end well. Any wolf that instigated aggression at this point would only be pulling the trigger on their own execution.

Jake commanded Quil to take Bella home. This was no place for his very  _ human _ best friend. Before the chocolate wolf could even turn to follow his orders, Leah overrode the order.

_ No, Quil. That attitude is part of how we got here in the first place. She is a part of this pack even if she doesn't go furry like the rest of us freaks. She is our only hope of getting Paul back. _

Nearly every voice in the pack mind began to speak up against Leah, Jake protesting the loudest.

_ Enough!  _ Leah demanded.  _ She is the wolf's imprint just as much as she is Paul's. He would never hurt her. He'll probably feel a lot better if she got the fuck off of Quil. _

If only they could communicate that with the girl. All Bella heard of the telepathic conversation was the low growls and lupine whines that came from the tense pack still facing down her wolf. Quil was nervous to move in any way to indicate to Bella to climb down. Paul's wolf had his eyes locked like rifle sights on the wolf daring to touch his imprint. Slowly,  _ very slowly, _ Quil lowered his massive body to the ground at the encouragement of his Alpha pair. Thankfully Bella took the hint and lifted her leg over him to dismount the wolf and slide to the ground. She really had a new appreciation for their size after being up at their phased height. To nobody's surprise, Bella fell to her hands and knees when her feet failed to catch her.

Paul's wolf leaped forward, a low whine cutting through the night air. The wolf's sudden movement acted as the starting gun to a flurry of commotion around her. Protective instinct had the pack surrounding Bella in an instant. Her world was suffocating fur and hot panting breaths. The rumble of growls from barrel chests surrounding her vibrated the very earth under her feet and rattled her down to the bones. They didn't need to protect her from Paul. She needed to get to him. The grey wolf's whines escalated to snarls when his vision of Bella was blocked.

She rose to her feet, desperate for air. Pushing against heavy bodies, she fought to weave through the pack to get to her wolf. A mantra of  _ please, please, please,  _ choked out between sobbing breaths, desperate and pleading with the guard dogs. She couldn't breathe. She needed to get to Paul.

Finally stumbling past the russet wolf she knew to be Jacob, Bella was at last face to face with the only balm for the incendiary hysteria in her chest. Tears streamed down her face and her prayers changed from  _ please _ to desperate petitions for his forgiveness. She fell to her knees in front of the wolf, repeating over and over.

_ I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry… _

This was her fault. She had broken the man she loved. He trusted her and she threw that back in his face because of her own petty insecurities. She had been freaking out all week about how overwhelmed  _ she _ felt. She had been worried about herself. How selfish could she get? Of course he needed her, she was his imprint. She felt the tightening in her chest all week, but what had he been suffering through? All to give her the time she asked for. She didn't deserve him.

A low whine caught her attention and she tried to pull herself up, hiccuping through her sobs to try to catch her breath. Paul's wet nose snuffled across her temple and pushed her hair back away from her face. Just the touch of his snout on her skin sent electrical impulses through them both. Bella gasped at the sensation, jerking her head up to the beast in front of her. His looming form was blurry through her tears but the look in his eye was unmistakable. Concern. Longing.  _ Love. _

Bella pushed up to unsteady feet, compulsively wiping her hands on her pants before reaching out to the regal face still hovering over her. If he stood up to his full height she might reach his shoulder blades. This creature could have been terrifying without even trying, but with careful movements and a calming purr rumbling from a barrel chest, she knew she was safe. Even if Paul was lost to the wolf, this animal would never hurt her. He existed to protect her with everything he had. Even if she was a vile, selfish prick that didn't deserve him.

As if he heard her self derisive thoughts, Paul's wolf gave restorative licks up the side of her neck and face and up into her hair, slicking it up in awkward angles. The term 'cowlick' had a whole new meaning. A watery chuckle escaped her lips despite the overwhelm and insanity of the situation. The wolf must have liked that sound because he yipped and lowered to the ground with its tail in the air wagging playfully. This only made her laugh more and Paul's wolf danced to her musical giggles.

Even if Paul couldn't forgive her, and she didn't expect him to, she was just happy that it seemed like his wolf already had. When she reached out to him, begging for more of those electrical touches, he came back to her in an instant. Gently, ever so gently, he rubbed his muzzle against her open hand. With cautious movements and a healthy respect for the power of this creature, Bella moved her hands up into his scruff. His fur was thicker here and a shade darker. Comfort oozed up her arms and warmed her to her very core just at the touch of her fingers winding through his pelt.

In a fluid motion the wolf straightened. Fur receded into human skin. Back legs stepped up as lupine shoulders settled down to strong toffee muscled arms that wound around her lower back, pulling her against a heated chest. Warm smooth hands inched up under her shirt to bask in the skin to skin that sizzled warmth and love across their bond. She looked up to his beautiful face where his long dark lashes stayed locked against his caramel cheeks.

"Paul?"

The weak whisper was pleading. She still had so much apologizing to do, but she was here. She was choosing him fully and completely. Running away from him was the biggest mistake she had ever made and she would pay penance until the day she died if it meant he gave her a second chance. To prove that she was here for him. That she was committed to him. That his heart would be safe with her.

She would protect it with her life if necessary.

Slowly, his eyes fluttered open from her encouraging caresses. The unsettled yips and whines from the wolves behind the girl didn't even register in her mind over Bella's own surprise.

Glowing gold irises met her own and she knew they saw past her cinnamon eyes down to her very soul. Yellow flames danced and flickered in a kaleidoscope out from fierce, dilated pupils. The iridescent lupine eyes set in human skin sent shivers down her spine. The power and virility these flames represented should frighten her, but all she felt was awe. The human incarnation of the Spirit Warrior was a sight to behold.

Her hands were still gently holding either side of his breathtaking face. Thumbs ghosted over high cheekbones that proudly displayed his heritage. His strong brow furrowed in question. She instinctively knew this was the wolf communicating with her, not her Paul.

And somehow she knew exactly what she needed to say to reassure the beast and the man still buried inside. The word came from her soul. Her soul which she now understood just how entwined it was with his. It was spoken with care, a whisper floating to him with the night breeze. A promise to wolf and man that made those mystical eyes glow brighter even than the full moon.

"Yours."

This seemed like too intimate a moment to have the entire pack bearing witness, but Leah didn't trust this version of Paul entirely just yet. He wasn't acting aggressively anymore, but he still wasn't quite Paul again. Up until he phased  _ mostly _ back they still couldn't hear his voice in the pack mind and that worried her.

Leah could hear her pack behind her speculating on what the fuck was going on with Paul's wolf's eyes burning even brighter than usual in his human face. Even in wolf form his spirit warrior eyes were not wild like that. Only Sam knew the legends better than Leah and even he had never read of this happening before. She could feel his confusion bleed into relief that this wasn't his problem. That was quickly followed by guilt that he was relieved and guilt that Leah had yet another thing piled on to deal with. She didn't fault him though and she made a point to quietly forgive him yet again. Maybe if she figured things out with Jake then Sam wouldn't always feel so guilty. She didn't owe him anything, but he was still pack. Her pack.

The other wolves had no clue what to think of Paul's freaky mutation. Quil and Embry were making jokes about new superpowers and Jared was muttering something about hoping nothing new and freaky happened to him. Seth was indifferent, just waiting to go home. As the only pack member without an imprint or partner, he didn't have much patience past the ingrained instinct to protect the mates.

The pack stood frozen as a group, waiting to see what Paul would do next. Bella stood stock still while Paul searched her with inquisitive hands and eyes. His nose snuffled down her neck first and then across her shoulders. Dropping to his knees, his hands slipped down to her hips and his nose trailed behind, dipping between her breasts and pausing to press his face into her. The wolf was probably just making sure she was okay, as was habit any time mates had been apart for any time at all, minutes or days. His hands ran all the way up the backs of her legs and stayed planted on her ass as he straightened back to his full height.

Paul looked back to his Alpha pair from where he stood with Bella, apparently having finished taking inventory. The smoldering irises jumped between Leah and Jacob, meeting their gaze directly. Wisely, they both chose to ignore the blatant sign of disrespect. His display this evening had only proved the strength of his wolf and this last show of defiance had been earned.

When neither of them reacted, one full dark brow arched as if the question was obvious and he was getting impatient with their sluggish response. He might as well have been tapping his foot, but clearly the Spirit Warrior wasn't as childish as Paul himself.

It clicked for Jake first. The wolf had shown his defiance, but was still respecting the chain of command.

He was waiting to be dismissed.

Jake bowed his head ever so slightly. He maintained his dominance by remaining taller than Paul. Paul didn't move a muscle because the Alpha his wolf recognized still hadn't dismissed him. His eyes stayed locked on Leah, now just a degree lower than direct eye contact. With a nearly imperceptible nod, Leah acknowledged the wolf and gave him the permission he was seeking. Without a word, the man turned and led his imprint into the forest by the hand.

The pack was still frozen in stunned silence, watching the shadows in the trees where the couple had disappeared. Jake broke the din of wordless thoughts in the pack mind with an order.

_ Jared, you're running your last patrol before we're back to a normal schedule. Everyone else phase back. _

The pack shuddered back into human skin quickly to avoid listening to Jared's diatribe of complaints and curses directed at the wolves who didn't have to run this week thanks to his behavior.

Quil spoke up first, "What the fuck was that?" He asked with a thumb over his shoulder indicating Paul and Bella. "He's either going to eat her or fuck her to death. Whichever way that goes, I don't think she's making it to the morning."

"Gross, Quil," Sam admonished. The rest of the pack was trying to cover their discomfort with forced chuckles. They still weren't quite sure what just happened, but they were taking their Alpha's lead for now and not addressing it.

"Everyone go home," Leah called out. It wasn't an order, just a request. Tonight had gone sideways and she was already exhausted from trying to keep her mind and her eyes off of Jake. Now there was this whole new clusterfuck she had to deal with. "We'll get back together..tomorrow? What fucking day of the week is it? I don't even know what fucking day it is. I need a goddamn nap."

"Amen," Jake breathed. "Tomorrow we're finally able to get the whole pack together. Saturday night training while the imprints are all together at Sam and Emily's." He flicked his eyes over to Leah. "It's Friday, Lee. TGIF, right?"

"You know weekends don't mean shit anymore, Jay." The remnants of the pack were still milling about, not sure if they had really been dismissed yet. Sam and Seth stood bored on the edge of the small gathering, just waiting for the signal that it was okay to leave. Quil and Embry were not so discreetly making plans for their evening without Bella watch or patrols or parents. Tiffany Call was out of town until Sunday and they planned to defile her dining room table again.

"Just go," Leah waved them off, hoping to get a chance to talk to Jake tonight about Paul and Laurent and maybe, if she could muster the lady balls, she would try to talk to him about whatever this was that they were dancing around.

"My place? Bet I can beat you there," Embry leered at his mate.

"A bet? What are we betting?" Quil was playing with the strings dangling from the front of Embry's gym shorts, subtly pulling him closer.

Seizing an opportunity, Embry suggested, "If I win, I get to top." He tried to sound as cocky as his mate. If Quil didn’t respond well, Embry could always brush it off as a joke, especially in front of the pack.

Quil immediately dropped the pretenses and wrapped his arms around his lover's lower back. He wanted to support him in all things. He knew even mentioning this took a lot of guts and he was proud of Embry for asking for what he wanted. Embry had never shown a hint of wanting to try this, even in the shared mental space of the packmind. 

"Baby, why is this the first I'm hearing about this? I didn't even know you wanted to." Quil nibbled you his lovers neck, having to raise up on his toes just a little to reach Embry's ear. Whispering was cute, but it did nothing to keep the rest of the pack from hearing what he said next. "I'm open to try it. All you had to do was ask, but I'll still race you for it. What do I get if I win?"

"This dick." The words were nearly a growl, punctuated with a thrust of his hips grinding a very prominent erection into Quil's matching member. Now that Embry knew Quil would let him, he wasn't backing down.

"Do you guys forget other people can hear you or do you just not care?" Leah called out with a grimace on her face. They all loved Quil and Embry but damn, the pack didn't want to hear about it more than they already did when phased together. The couple's mouths were too busy trying to eat each other to respond so instead they both flipped her off, not pausing their make out session for a second.

"Well, that answers that, they just don't care. I don't want to try and break it up, they might bite you. Like a dog humping a pillow." Leah chuckled and ignored Quil's growl. "The rest of us can go home. Seth you're on patrol after Jared."

Not wasting another second, the wolves took off into the trees. Finally, blessed silence.

Or as quiet as it could get when supernatural ears caught every cricket and squirrel within three miles. Over the peaceful orchestra of the forest at night, Leah could hear the sound of a heartbeat that she could have identified in a crowded room. The light breeze rustled the trees, carrying the scents of La Push swirling around her. Ocean saltiness. Crisp pine.  _ Mate.  _ His natural musk was slightly tinged with anxiety.

She knew the other half of their Alpha pair had also lingered behind. All of her senses told her where he was, but she didn't need them. The electric tingle in her chest, like a magnetic compass pointing true north, could tell her where her mate was at any given moment.

At least on human feet she didn't have to worry about masking her thoughts. She could freely imagine, dream, hope— without any prying minds. That hope blossomed in her chest when she heard the soft sound of grass under his feet. The staccato of his heartbeat got louder with each step closer. Tonight was the night. She was going to say something. Or do something? Leah didn't know what, but tonight was going to be a turning point in their relationship.

She knew how he felt. Seth had given her a heads up and she had seen the whole conversation now from his perspective and Embry's. As soon as Embry phased, he had revealed Jake's confession at Emily's this afternoon. The younger wolf was trying so hard not to think about it that it was all he could think about. Jake had told the guys " _ She never lets me get her alone to talk about it. I want to tell her it's not just my wolf that's interested. I've been interested for a long time now. She's a million miles out of my league and I wouldn't even know how to bring it up." _

Well here she was. Giving him a chance to bring it up. Alone.

She wasn't embarrassed to admit it was a major confidence boost to hear that Jake thought she was out of his league. If it weren't for the age thing, she would probably be intimidated too. But they had both been too awkward about the whole situation to mention it yet. Jake wanted her too and it was hurting both of them to keep avoiding it like this. It was putting them both at a disadvantage as Alphas. She should be focused on their pack and the leech threat they faced, not getting distracted like a bitch in heat. Progressing their relationship was a tactical move in their pack's best interest.

Well, that's what she told herself to rationalize the nervous thrum of her heart and the giddy, girlish excitement that bubbled up in her chest.

Was it just her imagination or could she feel the heat radiating off of his skin behind her? She thanked the spirits that she had been able to pull another cotton dress out of a hollowed out tree. Being any more vulnerable right now would be too much for her dominant wolf. They used this clearing frequently so she had a stash nearby. Her mother had made nearly twenty stretch cotton spaghetti strap dresses just like this one and the one she shredded when Paul's wolf attacked her.

She couldn't remember if Jacob had a pair of shorts tied to his ankle when they got here. She hadn't seen him go to the trees to fetch a pair and she was preeeetty sure he didn't bring any with him. If that was the case, a very naked Jacob Black was waiting for her patiently in the moonlight.

He took one more step closer. She could feel their connection sizzle along her nerve endings. Her wolf begged her to turn around and clawed at her insides to take what the wolf deemed theirs. Now she could feel his fevered breath fan across her shoulder.

This would be so fucking weird if they weren't two supernatural Alpha wolf shapeshifters. Not just the fact that they were standing in the middle of the woods at night in  _ very _ little clothing, but the way they danced around this potential relationship. They were two people who were clearly attracted to each other and had seen each other butt-ass naked on more than a few occasions, but hadn't even  _ kissed _ .

"I know what you said to the guys this afternoon, Jay," she whispered so low a human would never have heard it over the sounds of the light winds and forest around them. She already knew how he felt but she was still so unbelievably nervous. He could still turn her down and she wasn't sure she could handle his rejection on top of all this other bullshit. But she was here, sticking her neck out for something she wanted. And he still hasn't said anything. Her skin prickled into goose bumps in anticipation when she heard him suck in a quiet shaky breath.

"And?" His silky baritone wrapped around her, ramping up her anxiety and arousal just the same. Just the hint of uncertainty in his voice was all the reassurance she needed. She had thought she smelled it on him, but it was actually comforting to know that he was nervous too. Maybe he wanted this just as much as she did. Just as much as their wolves did.

_ Now or never, Leah,  _ she told herself, squaring her shoulders in a last ditch effort for confidence before she turned to face him. The hint of nerves she could scent were nowhere to be seen in his features. She might even say he looked cocky with a slight lift to one side of his mouth and a mischievous glint in his eye. Her eyes stayed locked on his, but she could thank her keen eyesight for the view in her peripheries of just how excited he was too. She hoped her face wasn't giving away how nervous she was.

_ Fuck, he was beautiful. _

Years later they would still debate who moved first, but the end result was the same. Jacob stepped in while Leah reached up to grab his shoulder with one hand and wrap the other around the back of his neck to pull him down. She was tall for a woman, but he still had to lean down to reach her. It all happened so fast but, to her adrenaline addled mind it felt like slow motion.

Their lips met and their world ended. Or imploded? Maybe it just didn't exist at all anymore and that was more than fine with either of them. The forest could be ashes and the ocean could be lava for all they cared because their reality was confined to this kiss.

Once the shock of their initial lip lock faded, the dam broke and weeks, no,  _ months _ of built up passion broke free. Soft, heated lips moved together in a sensual tango that matched the rapidfire pace of their hearts. Teeth clicked and tongues clashed in their desperate state to devour one another. Leah's nails dug into his shoulders so hard she drew blood. She grabbed at his ebony hair, trying to ground herself in reality, but his responding groan only stoked the growing fire in her belly.

Jake's hands were overwhelmed. They couldn't stay anywhere for too long because there was so much new territory to roam. Her amazonian curves were uncharted waters and each meaty hand was an explorer trying to discover gold. They dipped into her silky hair, holding her face to his before diving down her toned back, caressing her sides, enjoying her lush hips, and finally staking his claim on her ass. Each palm taking up residence on a full globe.

Howling echoed through both of their minds as if to say  _ finally. _ She pressed her body into his, absolutely hating the thin piece of her cotton dress wedged between them. It did little to mask his manhood pressed against her lower abdomen. Somehow even hotter than the rest of him, his erection felt like a searing brand burning through the fabric. She had seen it countless times now. Since that first time on the day she first phased, he had been unashamed of letting her see all of him, no matter his state of arousal. Which meant it was almost always fully hard when she saw it because just being around each other sent their senses and libidos into overdrive.

It had been a long time since Leah had any sexual attention besides her trusty vibrator. The state of anger she embodied after Sam left her didn't leave much room for lovers. Becoming a wolf, Alpha no less, pushed her needs even further down the list of priorities. It would have been useless anyway because she couldn't even get herself off properly if she found the time. No man or sex toy was Jacob Black.

But now, for the first time  _ ever _ , the woman and her wolf were on the same page. She was acting on her deepest desires and taking what every part of her wanted. Craved. Needed.

Panting breaths and groans of satisfaction were the only forms of verbal communication needed. Their lips spoke enough without words. Their greedy hands told the story of their pent up desires. Their rocking hips sang the praises of how perfectly their bodies fit together. Their tongues danced in a duel for dominance that represented their entire relationship. Their biting teeth reprimanded for foolishly waiting so long for what they both clearly wanted. Their appreciative hums thanked the spirits for letting these fools finally submit to what they needed.

Neither Leah or Jake could remember why they hadn't done this sooner. Their wolves had never felt such peace. Right at home in each other's embrace. So complete.

Revised 10/11/2020


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

While he waited for his outgoing call to be answered, Jake held the ringing phone away from his ear and addressed the image of perfection still pressed tightly to his chest. "Paul could have seriously hurt you, Lee. We can't do that again unless there's a leech nearby to direct that rage. He was a loose cannon."

Her kiss-swollen lips parted to fire back in her own defense when they were interrupted by a gruff voice picking up the phone on the other end of the call. The short and direct manner was a force of habit thanks to the man's line of work.

"Chief Swan."

Jake cut straight to the point, "Quil and Bella are here at my place. Don't worry Charlie, everyone is okay. It was a minor accident and Paul just bumped his head," Jake lied through his teeth. He had no idea where Quil or Bella was and he was calling from the middle of the forest, not his living room.

Quil had explained the cover story he had told Charlie to explain their sudden and urgent departure. Jacob couldn't help but be annoyed at his friend and pack brother for picking this lie to tell Charlie. The Chief of Police cared about honesty above all and this fib was going to be a bitch to cover up. A car accident? Whose car was going to have to be sacrificed to fill the blanks in their story. Cars weren't exactly a disposable commodity on the rez. It didn't have to be major damage but still, not something Jake was happy to do to anyone's property just to cover their tracks.

Where was Paul supposedly going? If there was an accident it would have to have taken place on the rez or else Charlie would be suspicious at the lack of police report. Who was supposed to have hit Paul? Whose car would Paul even have been in? Jake swallowed down the bile that choked him for even thinking his next words.

"He was taking the Rabbit into town to get something for my dad when somebody ran a stop sign and hit the front panel. It's just a dent. Paul whacked his head on the window but you know him, his thick skull came in handy." Jake hoped the lame attempt at humor would drag Charlie off course, but the man was a bloodhound. Leah could easily hear both sides of the phone call from Jake's side. Her arms were still wrapped around his waist, her hands absentmindedly playing with the cute dimples on either side of his lower back just above his ass. Neither of them was quite ready to break contact yet.

"Why would Paul be running errands for Billy? And why the hell did you let him drive your car? Was he inebriated? Are you sure Paul wasn't the one to run a stop sign?" Charlie wasn't letting up. Jake knew the story didn't add up but it was all he had. He was finally able to talk the Chief down by ignoring all of his questions and pulling the conversation from Paul to Bella.

"Bells is going to spend the night at my place if that's okay," he asked, knowing Charlie didn't have a say in whether or not Bella was home tonight. Jake, the pack Alpha, didn't have a say in whether or not Bella was home tonight. He knew by the look on Paul's mug that she wasn't going to be going anywhere anytime soon. And she probably wouldn't be able to walk. Jake could only pray his lie was convincing enough. "Paul has a concussion and we have to keep him awake. She's babying Paul like he got hit by a semi. He's fine. You know the girl, she worries. But he's on the couch and if she needs to sleep, she can have my room."

The resigned sigh from the other end of the phone was all Jake needed to hear to know the lie had worked. They said their goodbyes and Jake looked back to Leah, passing back her cell. At least she was prepared. She was such a better Alpha than him. He didn't even have a stitch of clothing and she had a whole stash of extra clothes and a burner cell hidden in a waterproof bag in a nearby tree. Her voice broke through his self-derisive thoughts like a balm to his soul.

"The Rabbit, Jay? Really?"

He couldn't bear the idea of damaging someone else's vehicle out of selfish desires to keep his baby blemish free. He was a leader after all and he couldn't delegate hardships. He barely drove the thing anyway. Getting around on four paws was more practical and even if he had the time to joyride, he couldn't afford the gas. At least she understood how much the car meant to him. It was the last vestige of his teenage years before he was thrown into adult responsibilities and an impending supernatural war.

But now he had a mate by his side to support him and their pack. He had the rest of his life to show her how much he needed her.

He didn't want to dwell on the fate of his poor car and he had the lovely opportunity for distraction right in his arms. Pulling her back to him with a hand on the back of her neck, Jake kissed the concerned look right off of Leah's face.

"You know," Leah paused to lick her lips, "the first time you did that, I was really tempted to deck you."

"Wait, really?" Jake panicked until he saw the lazy smile pulling at the corner of her lips. She seemed more than willing the first time they kissed and she definitely seemed to enjoy their kisses now. The contented purr that percolated in her chest seemed like enough evidence for him to fairly jest back. "That bad, huh?"

"No, no, no. Not like that. It was just more out of principle. As Alpha Female I thought I'd want to prove my dominance but my wolf was.."

Jake raised his eyebrows in question when she trailed off. He couldn't tell if she was embarrassed or nervous by whatever she was about to say but the bashful look made his dominant side flair. She tucked her face into his chest and he urged her on with a tickle to her side.

"My wolf was content," she mumbled into his heated skin.

"Damn, right. Your wolf knows who she belongs to." An indignant growl was her only response. Jake knew the warrior that held the spirit of Kaliso was nobody's property, but he was in a jovial mood so he kept up the joking. "Besides, you totally kissed me first."

Predictably, she stood her ground.

"I did no such thing, Jacob Blaー" his lips silenced her and her protests happily melted into lazy kisses. Leah appreciated her wolf more than ever right now. The scrapes on her back and knees were already healed. The soreness from how roughly Jake had taken her was gone before they had even caught their breath. 

Languid kisses quickly turned into pawing hands and desperate panting breaths. What would this be? Round 5? 

Unfortunately, they didn’t have time for this. 

“Leah,” Jake breathed between kisses, slowing down despite every cell in his body demanding he continue. He placed his hands on either side of Leah’s heated face for one last firm kiss. He dragged in a deep breath through his nose to sear the moment into his senses before pulling back from her honeyed taste. His lips still tingled from her touch.

Taking a step back as if to gather his composure from the heavy fog of her presence, Jacob looked her up and down one more time. A wide smile cracked his face in half when he caught her doing the same to him. They were completely comfortable with each other for the first time since she had phased.

The Alpha held his hand out to the woman he trusted with his life. Without hesitation Leah took his offering and her rightful place at his side. As equals. He could walk straight into Hell if this woman was wit him.

"Let's go put a fat dent in my most prized possession, Lee."

XXXXXXXX

Paul's wolf had no patience for the slow pace of his tiny human. Walking hand in hand lasted about three strides into the trees before he simply picked her up and kept a more acceptable clip. Holding her pressed up against his chest bridal style, Paul ran through the trees. Grace and agility beyond humanity made the journey comfortable enough for Bella to ignore the speed that had made her nauseous when Edward had carried her. Instead she wrapped her arms around his neck and nestled further into his heat.

In these parts of the woods the canopy of trees overhead blocked the moonlight from cutting through. Even in the pitch black night, Bella could see the eyes of her wolf. The lambent gold flames danced in his irises, glowing bright enough to cast shadows over his sharp cheekbones. He was watching his path as he moved effortlessly through the forest, but every few steps those eyes would find her, just to make sure she was really there.

When his pace slowed, Bella wasn't surprised that they were still somewhere in the trees, but she couldn't see anything outside of their little bubble. She guessed that the forest was where he felt most comfortable. She had no idea where he had taken her and it didn't matter. She had come to her wolf willing to lay it all on the line for him so Bella was going to follow his lead. It was her turn to be whatever he needed.

She wasn't entirely sure Paul would understand her if she spoke right now so she kept her insecure rambling to herself and took inventory of her mate. He was all wolf right now, but she could still read the emotions in his face. They flicked across his features like pages of a book. First was the pure rage that she knew was synonymous with the wolf. His hardened features melted into desire and longing for his mate. Then uncertainty furrowed his brow and concern pulled down the corners of his mouth. Wanting to reassure and comfort him, Bella went with the tried and true method she knew was most universal to the wolves. Touch.

Reaching up with slow calculated movements, Bella ran her thumb up the creased confusion between his brows and across his forehead. Her hand came to rest on the side of his face, gently angling him down so she could reach just barely on her tiptoes. The first brush of her lips moved over his unresponsive mouth. She pulled back just enough to see his shining golden eyes and the uncertainty in them that made him look more like a magical puppy than the dangerous beast barely contained in human skin.

"Yours."

The whispered word awoke the beast once again. Her one word consent was all the wolf needed to be uncollared and given free reign. This time it was his mouth moving to meet hers. He moved so quickly it nearly knocked the breath out of her. Paul had her pinned against a tree with her legs wrapped around him before she could even react to his lips. It wasn't a kiss, it was pure hunger. He plundered her mouth with lips and tongue in a practiced dance that she struggled to keep up with. Her hands found purchase in his hair in an attempt to hold herself to Earth. It wasn't gravity, it was Paul that kept her from floating away into space.

Gasping breaths between ravaging kisses kept her from passing out from the onslaught of it all. She knew Paul wasn't in control right now and she was taking everything he gave her. She needed all of him. She needed more.

Digging her nails into his shoulders earned her a growl that brewed deep in his chest. The rumbling in his torso vibrated through her whole being causing delicious sensations in her core, tightly pressed against his abdomen. She tightened her legs around his back petitioning for more. Paul's hands gripped her ass with bruising force, wanting to grind his needy flesh into her. Even with his impressive size, his tip could barely graze her backside in this position.

Their height difference only really became problematic when face to face. In order to line up their sexes, Bella would have to be shifted a considerable way down his body, putting her face somewhere in the area of his sternum. He couldn't kiss her without uncomfortably craning his neck down and even then, it was an awkward angle for making out. In this position it was one or the other and the wolf had clear priorities. He was here to claim his mate and from smell alone the man and the beast could tell she was more than ready.

In swift motions that would have Bella tripping over her own feet if unassisted, Paul had her flipped around and on all fours in only seconds. This wasn't about romancing or playing the part of a suitor. She was already his and the wolf was going to lay claim to what belonged to him the most thorough way the animal knew how.

He couldn't be bothered with getting her undressed, just the bare minimum. He dug his fingers into the back of her yoga pants and panties and split the seam open like it was made of wet tissue paper. A large hand pressing down on her spine directed her to arch her back, allowing him the perfect angle to enter her in one thrust. The growl that tore through the forest sent frightened birds fleeing the trees and electric tingles zapping Bella’s every synapse. He paused just long enough for Bella to catch her breath from the pleasured yelp he had pushed out of her.

His fingers wrapped around her delicate shoulder, careful of how much force her human body could withstand. His hips snapped forward with each pull of his hands to meet in the middle with jarring impact. Feral snarls and grunts mixed in the cool night air with Bella's sounds of pleasure and the slapping sound of skin on skin. He was lost to the wolf, but she was right there with him every step of the way.

Bella had waited so long to sleep with Paul initially because she didn't want sex, she wanted to make love. Sleeping with Jacob had been about just losing her virginity with someone she was comfortable with. Edward had made her feel like such a dainty white flower that shouldn't be touched. Plowing through that barrier ーwith Jacob's dickー had been about self-empowerment and being in control of her own body. With her next sexual encounter she wanted passion and tenderness and whispered 'I love you's. She wanted that, but she didn't know she needed this. Rough and desperate. She didn't need foreplay and romancing when just his growl got her soaked.

She could feel the beginnings of an orgasm she knew would be life changing. Monumental. The tingles started down deep in her belly and radiated out her limbs. The crest of pleasure was working it's way up her spine and into the base of her skull. Every thrust pushed her closer and closer to the brink. Her nails dug into the earth below her and her breath came out in horse pants between cries of ecstasy.

The pace increased and she knew he was close too. Paul's large form folded over her body, surrounding her in his nearly suffocating heat. His hands now held her hips steady as he rutted into her desperately. Hot panting breaths against her neck and shoulder only added to the fevered overwhelm of the moment.

A savage growl and the fiercest thrust yet sent Bella sailing into the stars. She didn't register a second of pain as Paul's teeth tore into the slope of her shoulder where it met her neck. He took two gulping swallows of the sharp metallic liquid that flooded his mouth. The wolf relished the taste on his tongue before he licked it clean. Long lapping strokes sealed the wound closed, leaving a pearl string of scars. One for each tooth, four larger ones for each inhuman canine.

Blood loss and pleasure left her spinning. He held her close, their bodies still interlocked, while her mind floated away into the void. 

When the shuddering aftershocks of her release subsided to light trembles, Paul shifted his hips just enough for his softening member to pull out from her body with an uncomfortable wet squelch that would have set Bella's cheeks aflame if she was conscious. Even after that rough animalistic coupling in the forest, she would probably still be embarrassed about their bodies natural consequential noises and fluids. Paul didn't even flinch at the sound. The wolf was far from embarassed, proud even, at the thought of his seed filling his mate. Now he just needed to feel her skin against his and monitor her heart rate. The wolf was unconcerned with his mate's lifeless form as long as her heart beat steadily in her chest and air moved in and out of her lungs.

With the gentlest touch and not a word, Paul's wolf removed what was left of Bella's clothes. Her yoga pants were useless. The waistband was the only thing holding the two halves together where he had ripped the crotch open in desperate need to get to her core. Her tank top was mostly intact, only one shoulder ripped open from where his mouth was desperate to get to her flesh. He pressed kisses to her shoulder where a bruise was already forming from the pressure of him snapping the fabric open. Paul, the man, would be disgusted with himself for putting bruises on her delicate body, but the wolf was unconcerned. His mate was strong.

Cradling her to his chest where she fit like a puzzle piece, Paul sank to the forest floor. The sensation of his naked body curled protectively around hers was all he needed. He would forsake food and water if he could sustain himself from the electric feeling of her milky skin against his.

It took several minutes for Bella's racing heart to slow down to an even tempo. Each thump of her pulse brought Paul closer to the surface of awareness. Like the clicking of a fishing line being reeled in slowly. The daze cleared like he was looking up from the ocean floor, raising closer to the surface, breaking through with a gasp.

Paul would have panicked if the sudden inhale hadn't been heavily dosed with the scent of mate and their combined sex. It was the grounding sensation that allowed him to pause long enough to take inventory of his other senses. It was a technique Quil's mom had taught him to overcome panic attacks and bouts of rage when he first phased, mentally going through the five senses like a checklist.

Smell. He could smell Bella.

Sound. He could hear small animals in the trees and the faint sound of a large animal running. One of his pack brothers was running patrol.

Touch. He could feel Bella's small form curled against him. There was a stick poking him in the thigh and Bella's hair was tickling his nose.

Sight. He could see the stars shining through the thick tree cover above them. His wolf senses allowed him to see through the darkness to the surrounding trees.

Taste. He could taste...what the fuck. Every square millimeter of his mouth tasted like blood. The taste matched the scent perfectly. Bella’s blood.

Now was the time to panic. His mental inventory of his senses started over once again, not to calm himself, but to investigate. He could smell Bella's fear and lust. He could hear her deep even breathing but she wasn't just asleep, she was seriously out cold. He could feel the layer of grime on his skin from being in wolf form for days now. This was the first time he'd been in his human skin since what...Wednesday? He could see...

He could see a ring of scars on the side of her neck, just where it meets her shoulder. Not that he went around biting shit, but he knew without a doubt that those were his teeth marks.

What. The. Fuck.

Sam has talked about marking. There was a legend Billy told occasionally that covered this but in a really vague, unhelpful way. Like most of the oral history regarding the wolves. One of Kaliso's pack mates marked their imprint. Something about a stronger bond. Wasn't an imprint enough?

Oh god. How could he hurt her like this? He could smell the sex on them both, but he did not remember anything. Surely he would remember something monumental such as marking his imprint in the throes of passion. Last time they were together, she had freaked out and ran away from him. She didn't want him. And now he had taken her and brutally mounted her like an animal. Was it possible that he had just raped his imprint?

Paul frantically scrambled away from her and threw up bile and  _ her  _ blood into the leaves and dirt.

Last thing he remembered was… trying to bite Leah's head off. Great. Not only was he a rapist, he was potentially a murderer. She was fine, right? She was an Alpha. Leah had to be fine. As sorry as he felt he was way more concerned about Bella right now. Jake would have killed him already if Leah wasn't okay so he needed to focus his attention where it was needed most.

On the bloodied, naked girl he had left on the forest floor.

Oh god, she must be freezing. He hurried back to gather her still unconscious form into his arms. What now? His feet were already carrying them towards his home. He was supposed to be taking care of her and this is what he had done? Self-loathing was not an unfamiliar feeling for Paul but this was a new depth of repugnance.

His body had been on auto-pilot. Or more accurately, wolf-pilot. Now he needed to take the reins and care for her the way his other form was incapable of. He didn't turn on a single light as he entered his home. Paul could see just fine in the dark and he didn't want to witness what he had done to her more clearly than necessary.

His first stop was the shower. Still clutching her to his chest, he stepped into the tepid water. Anything that felt warm to wolf temperatures would scald her precious petal skin. When most of the grime had been rinsed off, he plugged the tub and set her down ever so gently. Maybe this way he could at least get her own blood out of her hair. He knew she hated the smell of blood.

Paul had not been home in days. He could smell moldy bread in his kitchen all the way from the bathroom. Last time he was here, he was preparing for when Bella would come back to him. There were fresh sheets on the bed and some of her favorite foods in the fridge. He had cleaned and prepared his home for her.

But that was days ago. Now there was moldy bread and a stale unslept in bed waiting for her. If she was half as smart as Paul knew she was, she would run. Again. He couldn't care for her. He couldn't provide for her.

He had ra- 

He couldn’t even think that word.

He deserved to endure the lowest circle of Hell for eternity.

Taking care of her now wasn't to redeem himself. This was the least he could do until she came to and ran away, never looking back. He gingerly lifted her bruised and battered body from the bath, wrapping her in a clean towel. He didn't want to try and dress her so he set her down on the bed still wrapped in the towel. He squeezed the water from her dripping waves as best he could without jostling her.

He was going to leave her here to sleep while he found something to eat, but a cool hand darted out as he pulled away from her.

"Paul."

It was just a whisper, but the death grip on his forearm said more than she could. A quick assessing glace confirmed she was still asleep. Her unconscious mind still recognized the imprint. She didn't know what kind of monster he was yet and she still wanted comfort. He could do that if it helped. Pulling shorts over his hips so he wasn't naked when she woke up, he climbed into the bed next to her. He wanted more than anything to cradle her to his chest and kiss over that pearl string of scars, but he couldn't. He didn't deserve comfort. He was only here to help calm her. Calm her until she woke up and realized how abhorrent he was.

He would just close his eyes for a minute. He was so, so tired.

Just for a minute.

XXXXXXXXXX

Every cell in her body begged her to stay asleep. She had never been more comfortable than here in the dirt and leaves in Paul's arms. But she couldn't sleep right now, they needed to talk. Every movement felt like a great feat. Her sated body was weighed down with cinder blocks, begging her to give in and rest. She shifted her weight up onto an elbow so she could look up at her sleeping lover's face.

That's when she realized they were no longer in the woods. They were in a bed. She had a kind of scratchy towel tucked around her. She could feel her damp hair around her shoulders. She hated going to bed with wet hair. It always dried weird. But she would gladly deal with that because she was waking up next to Paul. She was a little concerned with how they had gotten here because she couldn't remember anything after… that. At the memory her cheeks reddened so swiftly she was surprised they weren't glowing ruby in the dark room.

She could just make out Paul's shape laying on his back next to her. She was curdled into his side with a hand on his chest, propped up so she could see his face. As her eyes adjusted to the dark she could see how distressed he looked, even in sleep. He twitched and she hoped she hadn't woken him up. He looked like he needed the rest.

But Paul could feel her eyes on him. He fought to open thousand-pound eyelids and meet her gaze. Much to her relief, his eyes were back to their normal dark captivating shade. Her Paul was back. When he didn't say anything, she blurted the words she had been dying to tell him.

"I'm sorry."

When he didn't immediately respond, she began to panic. Bella's ability to worry so profoundly was an integral part of her personality thanks to the deep self-doubt and insecurity left behind in the wake of That Asshole. Now wasn't the time to think about Twatward or the time to nervously babble because Paul hadn't leaped to reassure her. She owed him the time and patience to sort out his feelings beforehand. Maybe he wasn't ready to forgive her. Maybe he didn't even want her back, this was just the wolf taking what it needed? Maybe now that Paul was back to his senses he was disgusted with the wolf's actions and was trying to figure out the best way to tell her to fuck off?

That last theory was starting to feel right when Paul pushed her up and away into a seated position. She tucked her knees under her and wrapped her arms across her torso, suddenly very aware of her near nudity. He sat up as well, crossing his ankles in front of him and resting his forearms across his raised knees. His clasped hands still fidgeted, giving away his restless mind.

Those fidgeting hands were the spark of hope in a dark forest of doubt. He was thinking. He wasn't dismissing her right away because he was still mulling it over.

Paul was in fact carefully planning his words before he spoke. He had woken up on the forest floor with his imprint in his arms and the heavy scent of sex surrounding them like a fog. The memories of the whole evening were like a dream he vaguely remembered. Paul was more afraid and disgusted of himself than mad at her for running away.

Licking his lips to pause just a moment longer, he finally spoke, "You have nothing to be sorry for. I forgive you, Princess. I'll always forgive you. I'm the one that needs to say s-sorry." Paul uncharacteristically choked and sputtered around his words.

Bella's brow furrowed in confusion. He had nothing to be sorry for. She opened her mouth to protest but he silenced her with a finger on her lips before continuing.

"I'll never forgive myself for my actions. I can't blame the wolf. I should have had control. I h-hurt you. I'm so sorry, Bella. You have every right to hate me after I.. After I rapー"

This time it was her fingers pressing against his lips to silence him. She didn't even want the words leaving his mouth. She understood how he interpreted their activities earlier in the night.

"No, Paul. That's not what happened at all. Do you not remember? I know it was more the wolf than you, but I hope you remember because it was...fucking awesome."

Paul blew an amused huff of air out of his nose despite his inner torment. For someone who was usually much better with words, Bella saying "fucking awesome" was perfect. Except it wasn't awesome. He quickly sobered to correct her.

"Bella, I hurt you." He reached out to the scar on her neck, his fingering hovering over the raised bumps where his teeth had marred her flesh. Touching it would make it real and he was afraid.

But Bella wasn't afraid. It was her turn to be strong and take what she needed. For both of them. She straightened her back, lifting her shoulders into the touch of his tentative fingers. Together they gasped at the sensation of delectable flames licking down their bodies like a wildfire of pleasure. Paul pulled his hand away with a jerk as if he had actually been burned.

"Holy shit," Paul breathed under his breath, flicking his gaze between his hand and the mark on her neck now covered by Bella's own hand.

"Well, that's new," Bella mused, trying to break the tension. Clearly Paul was torturing himself over their rough coupling, so far as to think he had forced her. She needed him to understand she had been a more than willing participant. And if whatever this was had been a result of that, it couldn't possibly be a bad thing.

"Paul, I came to you last night. I told you I was yours. I told the wolf." She desperately searched his eyes for understanding. She needed him to believe this. "I'm not going anywhere, Paul. Never again. I'm so sorry I ran last time. It wasn't about the sex, it was everything the commitment represented. The imprint scares me. I want you to be able to be mad at me. You should be angry with how selfish I was!"

He gently took her hands in his. He was a little worried that their every touch would be the same fire. As perfect and pleasurable as it had been, it wasn't exactly practical for a serious conversation. "I don't have to be angry with you. I've got enough to be angry about. You needed time and that's okay. It sucked though. Maybe we can find a better way to figure things out other than space? Please don't put me through that again." He didn't want to tell her that he had been a wolf for three days now. He couldn't have phased human even if he wanted to and his lack of control was embarrassing. He didn't want her pity.

"I don't need time or space. I'm here for the long haul. It's a little intimidating, the whole imprint. I'm afraid to lose my individuality like I did before." She didn't need to clarify, he knew she was talking about that leech.

"I won't let that happen. I want to encourage you and support you however you need. After this," he indicated the mark with a nod of his head, not wanting to touch it again, "you're tied to me more than ever, Bella. This is way more permanent than any bracelet, wedding ring, or promise."

Her eyes stung with tears at the reminder of his bracelet that he had hand made for her and she had literally thrown back in his face. God, she was such a selfish bitch.

"Do you still have it?" She whispered, looking down at her bare wrist in an attempt to hide her tears. But he could still smell the salt. When he didn't respond, she clarified. "The bracelet."

In a blur of movement, Paul had vaulted off of the bed and was back in a flash. He was kneeling beside the bed, offering in hand. His face was a mixture of heartbreak and hope but he still didn't say a word as she held her wrist out for him with a smile. She had given her body to the wolf, but here she was, giving her future to the man.

They still had a lot to discuss. They had futures to plan and more apologies to give, but now they had their whole lives to figure it out. Bella felt like she would never be able to atone for her selfish reaction last week. Paul still felt horrible for the way he had handled her body without the care and tenderness she deserved. He could start making up for that right now.

Tying the bracelet off, Paul kissed the knot that promised their future. He continued the trail of kisses up her arm, slowly climbing over her on the bed. He leaned her back onto the sheets, continuing the kisses over her collar bone and finally up to the spot they both wanted the most.

When his lips covered the string of scars, lightning and fireworks flashed behind their closed eyelids, sending electricity through both of their bodies and groans of pleasure erupting from their very souls. In that moment, all that existed was the ecstasy they could pull from each other's bodies. Paul meticulously covered every inch he could reach, inside and out, with his scent. He showed her just how tender he could be until daylight broke.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Maybe if she checked the fridge a fifth time, food would have magically appeared since the last time she checked thirty seconds ago. It had not.

Ateara General was just down the street but since Quil's mom left for the Makah rez, the pack had avoided the place on principle. They didn't want to support Old Quil and his homophobia even if he was on the council.

Leah paced her kitchen and dreamed of better days where her stomach didn't require a blood sacrifice every two hours just to stay sane. Their appetites had to be neverending in order to provide energy for the shift but still? Her brain hurt whenever she tried to apply logic and her basic knowledge of physics to what her body was now capable of doing. Magic was the only explanation.

Regardless of how impossible it should be, she was still going to be starving to death in her own kitchen if she didn't suck it up and go to Ateara General. Emily always had food ready when Sam got back from pack shit. That was unfair. Her parents were just as busy as she was with jobs and council duties and her mate couldn't cook to save his life.

She chuckled to herself as she stepped out of her front door into the light mist. She could just picture Jake in a frilly apron and holding a tin of muffins. Those fucking muffins.

Jake was running a perimeter and then they were both meeting with the elders regarding Paul. She had just enough time to get back from the store and eat an entire box of cereal before he would be back.

Even though the walk took less than five minutes, by the time she reached the store her hair was soaked. In an attempt to cover the display of hickies Jake had left ーwhy couldn't those heal like everything else?ー she had worn a baggy sweatshirt and jogging shorts instead of her usual dress. Her tits would be out for ogling if she had been in one of her cotton dresses, wet and clinging to her skin. She could hear what sounded like two boys on the other side of the store and they didn't need a wet t-shirt display.

They must have seen her come in because she could hear them talking about her in hushed tones from the candy isle. Thanks to her wolfy ears she got to hear Collin Littlesea and Brady Fuller whisper about how hot she was "even though she was practically a she-hulk". One of them whispered back, "seriously, what kind of girl has muscles like that?" Great.

The Rez was a small place. Everyone knew everyone and she knew these twerps were trouble makers. Leah had babysat them a few times when they were younger, but that was a long time ago. They must have been in 8th or 9th grade by now. Still just kids.

When those two "kids" rounded the corner to the cereal aisle, Leah dropped her off brand Froot Loops. They were trying to look anywhere but at her in such close proximity, giving her the opportunity to openly gape at the two hulking giants these boys had become. Instantly and without a doubt, she knew they would phase. They were both taller than her now and covered head to toe in unnatural muscle. They were, what.. Thirteen? If she had to guess, they were one stubbed toe away from exploding into fur.

This was not happening. They already had eight! What did they need ten shifters for? Collin and Brady were barely teenagers and their lives were about to upended and thrown into insanity. They were merely boys. What was coming that required children to be recruited into a supernatural war?

She briskly paid for her items and ran home. She needed to talk to Jake and the council. Probably the rest of the pack too. Someone needed to keep an eye on those two before they tore someone's head off by accident. Too much was happening at once.

A familiar sound drew louder with every step towards her back door. With it, a sense of calm overcame the panic. Jacob. Jacob's steady, strong heartbeat. He was early. He was waiting for her. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she enjoyed the tingle that ran through her bones at his proximity.

_ Not everything is shit _ , Leah reminded herself.

Revised 10/13/2020


	15. Chapter 15

**C** **hapter 15**

The tribal council sat behind a large official-looking desk/table thing and Jake idally wondered if it had a name. The piece of furniture was hand carved by Billy himself back when William Black Sr. sat at the head of this council. Intricate wolves were expertly detailed into the front wood paneling, staring down whoever was unfortunate enough to be facing the tribal elders in such an official capacity. Maintaining eye contact with the eerily familiar wolf in the center of the carving was the only thing keeping his ass in that chair.

Deep breaths. Slow inhale. Slow exhale.

Each inhale reminded him of his mate next to him, but Leah's equally bristling anger coming off of her in waves was only ramping up Jacob's own tension. Old Quil's offensive geriatric smell and outright hostility didn't help his composure either. The meeting had started with warning the council of Brady Fuller and Collin Littlesea's imminent phase but the next topic on the agenda had gotten as far as "Paul will make an amazing second," before Old Quil began his tirade.

Billy wisely remained silent, recognizing his son’s imminent phase if Old Quil didn't shut his trap. Soon. Billy was only letting him talk to give the old man every opportunity to shove his foot further into his own mouth. The Chief was hoping they'd have enough cause to remove him from the council soon. As long as young Quil was willing to take his place as the representative of the Ateara family. In the meantime, they would have to put up with Quil Ateara III's rambling bigotry.

"What makes you think that miscreant could hold a position of leadership? The position belonged to the Cameron boy before this child became Alpha. Sam Uley wouldn't tolerate this kind of nonsense in his pack. This is just another choice further proving your lack of authority over your wolves. Just like every time those two debauched, lost souls are seen embracing in public. Between them and Paul, your leadership should be drawn into question. Clearly, your judgement is skewed based on the rest of your wolves' allowed behavior and your methods of discipline. Running two patrol shifts every day is clearly an unjust punishment for such a fine young man. And for what? How can you think this is fair?"

Jake couldn't help the derisive snort of laughter. Who did this old man think he was? Obviously not all of the other council members agreed, but he was their elder. As Chief, only Billy had the authority to reign in Old Quil and the Alpha pair hoped he had a reason for letting this rant continue.

Harry Clearwater did not appreciate the tone this man was taking with his daughter. Every word brought a deeper shade of red into his face and Leah mused to herself that Harry would have made one hell of a wolf if their generation had phased. The fourth council member, Adam Fuller, looked like he wasn't sure if he agreed with Old Quil or not. He was probably more concerned about hearing that his son was going to be joining the supernatural ranks. Jake was not concerned with Mr. Fuller's opinion either way. The man had the constitution of a wet noodle and a matching backbone. Leah hoped his son had more moral integrity and grit than his father.

The fifth and final council member was most likely the source of Old Quil's misinformation: Catherine Cameron. Her husband was a descendant of the Black family but Mrs. Cameron was the eldest living descendant of the Uley line. She was Sam's grandmother's sister's kid. Or something like that. More importantly, she was Jared Cameron's mother.

Sam should have stepped up and taken her seat on the council when he had a chance. As Alpha, the position was offered, but he had so much going on at the time that he declined. Leah groaned and mentally added this to the long list of faults to forgive Sam for, because Mrs. Cameron was making their lives more difficult than they already were. The Alphas had come to the council as a favor to them to keep them informed of pack updates. They were going to discuss the progression of their attempts to overcome Laurent's ability and Leah had wanted to tell them about Collin and Brady's imminent phasings.

Instead they were getting a lecture about their mistreatment of their pack's  _ most important member _ , the disgrace of the continued relationship between two male wolves, and the out of control Paul Lahote. Billy had heard nearly the same stream of complaints from the old man every time they crossed paths and Billy was beginning to wonder if the elder practiced in the mirror.

"You two are responsible for each and every one of those boys. The lack of control over your pack members demonstrates your inability to lead. If you can't discipline them, we will be forced to step in and take action where you two are lacking!"

This time, his bark of laughter could not be contained. Jacob decided he had let this decrepit bag of bones speak long enough. Pushing his chair back roughly as he stood, he continued to laugh bitterly.

"I'd love to see you march out into those trees and shake your fist at a pack of wolves that are  _ itching _ for an excuse to have your head."

Old Quil visibly flinched at the blatant threat. Before he could open his mouth again Jacob continued.

"Sam Uley supports Embry and Quil. Your  _ grandson _ . We will defend — however we see fit — their right to love. And I shouldn't have to remind you that the spirits blessed their relationship with an imprint. But that is not what we came here to discuss with the council today. Jared's insubordination and disrespect was dealt with as his Alphas saw fit. Paul Lahote will be our Second. Jared will continue to be punished if the offending behavior is continued."

"But Jared was attacked! Where is Paul's punishment?" Old Quil interrupted. Mrs. Catherine crossed her arms and squared her shoulders as if the accusation was an ironclad win for their side.

"We are wolves and wolves will protect their mate.  _ To the death _ if necessary. Jared is lucky to still be breathing," Leah spoke with careful words. She usually left council meetings to Jake, but she could see how hard he was trying to maintain his control.

"All because he's the only pack member with any sense of right and wrong," Mrs. Cameron muttered more to herself than anything else. The room heard it just the same.

" **ENOUGH** ."

Billy Black had pushed up out of his wheelchair, supporting most of his weight on his arms on the heavy wooden table with shaky legs under him. Not for one second did it take away from the authority and power radiating from the Chief.

"I have let this go on long enough. We are not a Christian nation. Those particular  _ values _ ," he sneered the word, "we're brought by white men. Quiluetes never considered homosexuality a sin, as you call it, until settlers indoctrinated our people, just like many other native tribes. We were gathered to discuss a change in ranks, not the validity of the boys' imprint. Paul Lahote will be Second, should he choose to accept. Our Alphas have spoken."

The statement was punctuated with a hand slapping the table with the same finality of a gavel. Anyone who dared speak after the Chief would be a fool. Billy sat back in his chair with a groan and shaky arms. It took everything in Jacob not to run up and help his father or just make sure he was okay, but Jacob knew in the moment Billy wouldn't want to seem weak. He was a strong man, Jacob knew, but he would make sure to check in on him and thank him later today.

Paul waited in the trees outside of the meeting hall. He could hear the raised voices of the meeting from his position, but he tried to focus on anything else. Hearing his Alphas' unflappable defense of his character was deeply uncomfortable for Paul. He knew they were meeting with the council this morning so he had come to apologize to Leah and debrief what the hell happened last night. Bella had told her version of the events, but there were still large chunks of his evening missing from his memory.

He wasn't prepared to overhear their plans to make him their Second. Beta. A position of leadership. Sam had joked about Paul making a good beta, but he had never thought about it seriously. He was glad he had heard it from the trees instead of being caught off guard by the Alpha pair when they asked him. He needed the time to process and temper his reaction. Panicking in front of Mr. and Mrs. Alpha Wolf was not going to help his fragile state right now.

He backed further into the trees when he could hear people leaving the meeting hall. The slight squeak of Billy's chair was his cue to jog out of the trees to make it seem like he just got there. Thankfully, it seemed to have worked because Billy and Jake both greeted him with surprise.

"Paul!" Jake called out with a wave. "Good to see you're looking more yourself today."

He wasn't sure if that was a dig at him not being able to phase human for three days or genuine concern. Either made him uncomfortable so he just shrugged and offered a hand to greet Billy. When he went to shake Jake's hand next, his Alpha pulled him into a bone crushing hug instead. Paul just froze and coughed to cover his wolf's rumble of contentment. Being acknowledged and praised by an Alpha meant a lot to the wolf. Coupled with the lupine need for touch, his wolf was happier than a pig in mud.

Leah stepped out from behind Billy's chair where she was pushing him and reached out to hug him too. It seemed like a very un-Leah-like gesture, but he was much less hesitant to return the embrace. This time he couldn't contain the gravely hum of contentment and Leah laughed. Jake had unintentionally defaulted to "main" Alpha in most of the pack's mind, but she didn't miss the reverence they all held for her. She wasn't quite sure what it meant or why they acted like that, but she felt the pride of the spirit of Kaliso swell in her chest whenever the pack showed this slight preference to her position as Alpha. Even if they weren't aware they were doing it.

Paul surprised them both by placing a kiss at her temple as they pulled back from the hug. He wasn't thinking, he wasn’t even sure why he did it. The mental image of kissing toyalty's ring flashed across his mind and Paul suppressed a chuckle.

"Hey, keep your lips off my girl, Lahote," Jake reprimanded, only half kidding.

"Your girl?" Billy and Paul asked at the same time. Leah couldn't hide her smile when she reached out to take her mate's hand. Jake wasn't satisfied with just her hand and pulled her to him, spinning her so her back was to his chest. His arms snaked around her middle and he ducked down to nuzzle where his face fit perfectly into the crook of her neck. She was the perfect height.

"Finally, the Alpha pair," Billy beamed with pride.

"Yeah he finally sacked up and —" Paul was cut off with Leah's fist in his gut.

"I'll leave you wolves to it," Billy called over his shoulder, already wheeling away as not to be collateral damage when a fight broke out. Any gathering of shifters had about a 50/50 chance of becoming a brawl and Billy knew it.

Paul laughed it off when he caught his breath again, "You guys know I'm happy for you. This should have happened months ago."

Not wanting to discuss anything mushy or emotional, Leah swiftly changed the subject, "Well that's not what we were discussing with the council. We would like for you to be our Second. Beta, if you will. There's nothing written about how these things were made official in previous packs."

Defaulting to sarcasm Paul cut in, "Do I get like a knighting ceremony or something? I definitely want a sword to be involved."

"Yeah, I'll use it to chop off your nuts if you don't take this seriously, Lahote," Jake stepped in. Paul's eyes shot to the ground and took a step back, subtly baring his neck with a tip of his head to the side.

Speaking to the ground, Paul spoke with clear, earnest words, "I accept."

Appreciating the sincerity, Jake made a suggestion. "Let's see if your wolf recognizes the authority. Quil took over Jared's patrol this morning, you should be able to give him a minor order even through the pack mind."

The three of them jogged into the trees far enough to be out of sight to phase. It felt so good to feel in control of his wolf again as Paul seamlessly transformed into his grey fur. He had felt strung out and out of control while he was stuck in this form before. Now he was free to enjoy the speed and his lithe movements around the trees. Taking in the smells and sounds of the forest, Paul hummed appreciatively.

_ Paul?! _

He was snapped out of his daydreams by Leah's panicked voice in his mind.

_ What? _

_ Where the fuck did you go? We couldn't hear you. Did you lose it again? _

_ No? I was just looking for Quil so I could make him tap dance or something.  _ Paul had no clue what she was talking about, but he was instantly jumping to conclusions about what could be wrong with his wolf. Quil's indignation cut through the panic.

_ Why the fuck does Paul think he's gonna make me do anything? _

Leah wasn't second guessing their decision yet, but Paul sure wasn't making a great first impression at the moment.  _ We've officially asked him to be our Second. _

_ Yeah, bitch. What's got your panties in a twist?  _ Paul asked.

The pack mind betrayed him when Quil couldn't help remembering why his ass was so sore, putting him in a pretty sour mood.

Paul's barking laughter easily eclipsed Quil's embarrassment.  _ Embry must have really pounded you into the mattress if your wolf healing hasn't fixed that yet. Was it a one time deal or — _

Paul's taunt's cut out of everyone's minds and Jake assumed he had phased human. Quickly following the grey wolf's trail, he caught up to a surprisingly lupine Paul, rolling around on the forest floor like he was laughing himself breathless.

— _ the Alpha in your relationship anymore. _ Paul's voice cut back in mid-sentence. What the fuck? Confusion was the general consensus between the phased wolves. Quil was still running the perimeter, but he could see through his Alpha's eyes that Paul hadn't phased out. His thoughts were just flickering in and out.

Leah stepped up to the grey wolf, tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth, and nudged him with her nose like she might do to a pup.  _ Can you hear us? _

_ Of course I ca— _

The Alphas turned to each other, a concerned whine from Jake before Leah speculated.  _ It's like last night. He went feral and we couldn't hear him anymore. _

Jake jumped in.  _ But he's completely in control now. He's just slipping in and out of our heads. It's like he's blocking us. But...unintentionally? And inconsistently. _

_ What are you guys talking about?  _ Paul demanded _ . I can hear you all just fine. What do you mean you can't hear me? _

_ Maybe your wolf is defective.  _ Quil sniped, still grumpy about Paul's jeers. What he had shared with Embry had been special and yeah, his ass was sore, but it was still early. He had just started patrol and Embry had made him come without even touching his dick less than an hour ago. So, yeah his ass was sore.  _ Bite me.  _ Quil thought when he realized they had probably just heard all of that too. Fucking mindreading.

** _Quil, shut up. _ ** _ Maybe I will bite you. _ Paul argued.

When Quil couldn't respond, Leah let out a sigh of relief that at least something was going right.  _ At least we know the beta order works. It's easier to break than one of our commands though. If you abuse this power, I will not hesitate to knock your ass down to omega. I'm sure Seth's tired of being the default omega wolf in the pack. _

_ Won't be for long now, _ Jake thought,  _ Brady and Collin will be the newest pups soon and Seth won't be the baby of the pack anymore. _

The Alphas and their new Second left Quil to finish his patrol shift. Paul couldn't explain why they couldn't hear him. His mind was all over the place worrying about Bella and now this. He phased back to get out of everyone's head. Especially his own. Paul was heading in the direction of his house, determined to get back to his girl, but Jake and Leah weren't done with him yet.

"Come on, Paul. We have to figure out why we couldn't hear you," Jake stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "It wasn't like you were trying to cover your thoughts, you were just completely dark when you cut out."

"I don't think it has to do with becoming Second because it took some practice for Jake and I to be able to block our thoughts completely and you weren't even trying," Leah mused with a touch of awe in her tone.

"I don't know guys," Paul put his hands up defensively. "I'm not doing anything different. I really need to get back to Bella. I need to take care of her." The last words came out as a mumble, but they didn't slip past Jake who immediately jumped to conclusions.

"What the fuck did you do to her, Lahote?"

"She's fine."

"You're lying," Jake growled through his teeth. He didn't like ordering his wolves, especially when privacy was so rare these days as it was, but he would if he had to. This was about his Bells, his best friend.

"I...I marked her last night. It's already healed over, like how we heal. And I have no clue why I did it." Paul's voice shook uncharacteristically. He sounded scared. Of himself.

Leah immediately understood the significance of the gesture. It wasn't mentioned much in the written legends, pretty much only referenced in warning. It was said to increase the imprint bond and share some of the supernatural advantages of being a shifter. Like how Bella had already healed. The legends briefly explained it changed the imprintee, but there was nothing written about how it changed the wolf.

"Paul! You marked her!?"

"I know, Leah. I know. I didn't mean to. Can we please talk later? I need to get to her."

Leah and Jake shared a quick look before she gave their new Second the slightest nod to dismiss him. They could figure this out later. For now, he was in control and the Alpha pair weren't worried about him hurting Bella.

Her steady, calm heartbeat and deep even breaths indicated Bella was still asleep when Paul returned home. He must have really done a number on her last night. The smirk that accompanied that thought dropped off his face when he remembered the first part of the night. She said she hadn't been hurt, but one look at the angry looking bite mark on her neck said otherwise. She began to stir and Paul wondered if she felt his presence now the way he'd been able to feel hers since he imprinted.

Bella knew her mate was back when warmth and comfort wrapped around her like the world's softest blanket. Much to her pleasure, that feeling was closely followed by being wrapped in the world's best arms. Hot breath over her ear made her shiver in delight.

"Rise and shine, Princess. We're going to the diner. Get your cute little booty dressed. I actually have to go to work today and I want to take you to breakfast first."

"I can just make some breakfast here?"

"Nope, we're celebrating!" Paul planted a smacking kiss on her lips before digging through his things to find something for her to wear. The tatters of her clothing were probably scattered wherever his wolf had left them and if he was lucky, some of his pre-phase clothes would work for now.

"Celebrating?" Bella repeated, trying to work her fingers through her tangled mass of hair. This is why she didn't sleep on wet hair.

"Well, we're practically married after that," Paul indicated the mark with a nod of his head. "According to ancient tribal law, at least. So we're taking our honeymoon at the diner. Hey, if we're married now, why don't you live with me?"

Relieved that he wasn't beating himself up over the mark anymore, or at least not outwardly, Bella answered just as playfully. "How about I graduate high school first, husband of mine. Only like a month away." Deftly changing the subject as not to give him room to argue, Bella asked, "If we went on a real honeymoon, where would you want to go?"

Bella pulled on the clothes he threw at her while he seemed to mull over the question seriously. She followed him out the front door in an old pair of sweats and a hoodie that looked so small, Paul guessed they hadn't fit him since elementary school. Of course, it was still comically large on Bella, the sleeves having to be rolled twice for her tiny pale hands to be seen. But it smelled like Paul and she was so comfy she didn't care how much she looked like a bag lady.

On their way to the diner they continued to plan their hypothetical honeymoon that they would never be able to afford in a million years—somewhere tropical with an endless buffet and drink service on a private beach. Paul then told her all about his promotion and the meeting he overheard with the council. Bella was disgusted by the bigotry of the older council members and embarrassingly proud of Paul for being chosen as Second. He didn't take praise well and Bella's insistent compliments made him cringe. It only made Bella more determined to compliment him every day for the rest of their lives.

Finishing his second plate of hash browns, bacon, and eggs, Paul wrapped up his retelling of events with, "At least as Second, I can order Quil and Embry to stop thinking about their bedroom activities on patrol." He kind of trailed off towards the end with a smug smile around his mouthful of breakfast, thinking of how he was going to get revenge for the number of times he'd seen too much of his pack brothers. Paul never talked this much but with the distraction of food and the comfort of mate, words were just tumbling out of his mouth. He wasn't used to having someone to talk to and Bella didn't mind. She could listen to his wonderful voice all day. He seemed to be done with his story so Bella just sat and watched her boyfriend, happy to be back on solid ground with him. One hand idly swirled a spoon in her coffee while the other absentmindedly traced the already healed over scar where her shoulder meets her neck.

Paul looked up from his now empty plate and his eyes stuck like magnets to his mark. He wanted to talk about it, tell her about it, but he didn't know where to start.

"You're not mad?"

"Should I be? I don't understand what it is or why you did it, but after the way it felt with round two, it can't be a bad thing. It's like an orgasm button, Paul." He barked out a laugh, impressed with her casual bluntness. Paul didn't need a special button to make his girl feel good, he knew how to work the one she already had just right. But this was important and he snapped back to serious so fast it startled Bella.

"The mark is the wolf's claim on you. It's supposed to make the imprinting bond stronger. You can't have children with anyone else. You'll smell like me no matter how long it's been since we've.. uh.. been together. Legends say we'll feel each other's emotions more vividly. And of course the whole.." at a loss for words more serious than "orgasm button", Paul instead reached out and ever so gently traced the ring of raised scars. Bella was embarrassed for the noise that escaped her in the middle of the diner. She tried to cover her groan with a cough which only brought a proud smile on Paul's face, despite the demeanor he was trying to keep.

Shaking off the near orgasm she just had in public, Bella changed course. "Ok, so that's how it affects me, but does it change anything for you?"

Other than feeling deep shame, only one thing had changed for Paul since last night. He didn't have to think long on it. It had been bothering him since Jake and Leah asked about it earlier.

"The pack couldn't hear me. It's like I was blocking them. And not intentionally. It wasn't like when the wolf took over and I was running on instinct. I was still me, but completely silent to them. I don't know what it means."

Bella seemed to think for a minute, humming thoughtfully before speaking.

"It's kind of like how Edward couldn't read my mind." A mental  _ thank god _ was tacked onto the end of that statement. She tapped her temple with one finger, "He called me a shield. What a lame superpower, right? Maybe you sucked it out of me," Bella laughed pointing to her neck. She was forever grateful for her mental block whenever she thought about the potentially embarrassing consequences of the pack mind.  _ Or dating a mind violator _ .

"Holy shit," Paul hissed under his breath. She was kidding, but weirder things had happened before. The mark was all about passing some of his abilities to her. Healing, feeling more connected to his wolf and the pack. Leah had mentioned that Bella could now be Alpha ordered and held the same rank as her imprinter in the pack. Paul idly wondered if Bella could give beta orders now too, but that wasn't important right now.

Did it go both ways? Did she receive healing and wolfy vibes, giving him her shield in return? Ever the strategist, Paul ran through the tactical advantages and disadvantages of his new ability if he could properly control it. If he could close off his mind….he wouldn't have to relinquish control to the wolf in order to block out Laurent's influence if that's how it worked. This was a game changer.

If he had any clue where Laurent was, he'd go hunt him down right this second. The sneaky fucker hadn't been seen in a few weeks now and the pack couldn't track down where he hid out between his visits. His trail usually got lost in the snow in Canada.

"Earth to Paul," Bella laughed and waved a hand in front of his blank face. "Where'd you go?"

Clearing his throat and shaking his head clear, he snapped his attention back to his world.

"Nowhere. I'm going nowhere." And that was an oath.

Paul had to work today, unfortunately. He had already missed so much these past few days and there was only so much Sam or Jared could cover for him before Mr. Cameron wouldn't welcome him back. If his boss knew how close Paul actually came to killing the man's only son, he probably wouldn't let Paul within a mile of his business. But he needed the job and Sam had saved his ass. Again. So Quil and Embry were on Bella duty in Paul's stead.

Official Bella patrols weren't scheduled, but Paul wasn't about to let his newly marked imprint go anywhere without a supernatural escort. No offense to Charlie, but his Glock 22 wasn't exactly a match for a leech. She didn't have school today, it was Saturday, so Quil and Embry were to indulge her and do what she wantedㅡhis second ever beta order.

The group's first stop was the Swan house. Bella owed Charlie an explanation. Bella wasn't looking forward to explaining why she was in Paul's clothes. Charlie always knew when she was lying. It took less than a minute for Charlie to sniff out the guilt in the room.

"I didn't even hear from you guys! Jake was the one who finally called me to say you two wouldn't be home. I can see why Bella stayed with Paul if he got a concussion and had to stay awake, but you mister," he indicated Quil with a nod of his head and a look that scrunched his mustache to one side. "Should I be asking the boy trying to hide behind you where you were last night?"

Quil turned bright red, stepping to the side to reveal an equally blushing Embry.

"I..uh..," Quil stumbled for an explanation, but Charlie wasn't having it. He was responsible for this boy and that was a duty he took very seriously.

"Next time something like this happens, I'll get your Chief on the line and see what sort of punishment Billy finds suitable for young men down on the rez."

The boys knew they'd be hearing from an Alpha in a nanosecond if a call to Billy was made. Fearing Leah's ideas for discipline far more than anything Charlie could think of, Quil was properly put in his place. "Sorry, dad."

Bella froze in place on the stairs where she was trying to sneak away before Charlie commented on her clothes. Embry snapped his gaping mouth shut with an audible click of teeth. And Quil was beet red. Impressive for his already dark coloring.

Charlie looked a little shocked, but recovered quickly.

"Go on, get changed. You're filthy," Charlie waved Quil towards the guest room that even he thought of as Quil's room now. Embry tagged along close behind, not wanting to comment on Quil's slip. He knew more than anyone how much his mate missed his father. As soon as the couple were out of the living room Charlie muttered one last word that he meant more than he realized.

".. _ son _ ."

Of course the wolves heard anyway. Embry wrapped his mate in his arms and shared the swell of affection and appreciation towards the man in the other room. Quil took deep breaths because he was  _ not _ going to cry right now.

Charlie resolved to be more present and active in Quil's life. Maybe he was feeling a little homesick by being away from the rez and his mother. It was about time Joy Ateara came back for a visit, Charlie decided.

The kids didn't hang around the Swan's very long. Bella took the world's quickest shower to get forest grime off her skin while the boys stayed in Quil's room to avoid Charlie. Everyone was a little uncomfortable at Quil's accidental "dad" comment and nobody wanted to address it. Bella was glad that he felt comfortable with them, but she knew that Charlie was awkward with emotions and they were all probably happy with just pretending it never happened. She made her excuses and encouraged the boys out the door. Charlie would be home for the day, but she had errands to run. Family bonding could happen another day.

The library was the first place Bella wanted to go. She was surprised at the lack of resistance from her companions, but she didn't know about Paul's orders to go along with whatever she wanted.

She was looking for Quileute history books to see what she could find about engagement and marriage customs. Paul said they were essentially married after the mark, but she wanted to know more. She didn't love the idea of telling Billy that Paul had bitten her mid-coitus, so her usual source of tribal history was out.

Paul would be working for most of the day today so Bella had time to kill. She took her time browsing the tribal history selection, but Quil and Embry were already bored. They had been trailing along behind her on her fact finding mission, but easily got distracted with each other whenever she stayed in one spot for too long. Hidden in the back corner of the shelves where the tribal books were tucked away, they freely kissed and cuddled. Even out of sight, the library was the most public place they had gotten to actually act like a couple and it was like their own kind of foreplay. They'd hear someone coming and Bella was happily ignoring them.

"Would you guys mind if we made one more stop before heading back to Emily's? You guys have homework to catch up on," Bella spoke from behind her pile of books.

"We're doing homework on a Saturday?" Quil challenged. "Paul said to do whatever you wanted! What kind of teenager wants to do homework?"

"One that wants her friends to pass their classes," Bella quipped, dumping the pile of books in Embry's arms. Finals were coming up for all of them and while Bella wasn't concerned about passing them herself, she was worried about her boys.

" _ Fine _ ," they groaned in unison. Quil quickly added, "We can run as many other errands or pit stops you want. And we can get lunch! The longer we spend in Forks, the less time we have to do work."

"Leave it to Quil to try to find loopholes," she rolled her eyes. Embry just shrugged with a small smile. He wasn't surprised by much about Quil these days. They were two halves of the same whole, afterall.

They were confused though when she pulled up to a girly salon looking place. When Bella started to smell nervous and hesitated to get out of the truck, Embry had to ask, "Planning on getting us makeovers, Bells?"

"My wolf would look great with some manicured claws," Quil chuckled with a wiggle of his bare feet on the dash. "I feel bad for any person that has to try to take a file to these puppies."

"Baby, you'd look great with some hot pink claws," Embry joked right back, pecking his wolf on the cheek.

"We'd never hear the end of the gay jokes, Emb," he rolled his eyes. "I'd get a much manlier color."

"Shut up, you dorks," Bella punctuated her insult with a smack to the first wolf she could reach. Embry had the decency to flinch as if it hurt. She continued, "I wanted to surprise Paul. I'm trying to gather the courage to get my...bits...waxed." Bella was bright red and mumbling by the end.

"Ohh," the wolves said, once again in unison.

"I'm sure Paul doesn't care," Embry offered. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

"No, it's for me too. He said it feels different... bare." She was having a really hard time talking about this, especially with two guys that couldn't care less about anyone's lady bits.

"Well, if anyone was an expert on vagina, it would be Paul," Embry shrugged. It was Quil's turn to smack him and this time he flinched for real.

Bella just rolled her eyes  _ again. _ Escaping the embarrassment of those two gave her the final push to leave the truck cab. She wasn’t surprised at all when they climbed out to follow.

“No, you two are  _ staying here.  _ I do not need supervision for this,” Bella pointed back at the truck. Without the usual stubbornness, both boys got right back in the cab without a word.

Before she was even halfway across the parking lot, the two of them were already lost in each other's mouths. Goodness, it looked like they were actually trying to eat each other. Bella just hoped they hadn't been arrested for indecent exposure by the time she came back out.

She was surprised they hadn't put up more of a fight on coming inside with her. These days there was always a wolf on her heels. They were probably so excited to have some more time to themselves to care to stalk her for this errand too.

An unsettling feeling settled into her bones while she sat in the waiting area. She chalked it up to nerves about the wax and tried to dismiss it. By the time she was called back and vulnerable on a very clinical looking table, the feeling only intensified. The pain probably didn't help. She tried to distract herself, thinking of all of the dumb things women did for men. High heeled shoes were on the list right below the concept of ripping hair from your body with hot wax.

Thankfully it didn't take long. On her way back to the waiting area Bella walked like a cowboy that had spent too long on his horse. She paid and left a tip for the torture expert. If it wasn't worth it, or Paul didn't absolutely love it, she was never doing this again.

The near constant rain had let up for once and there was even an occasional break in the clouds where blue sky poked through. Bella paused outside the door to appreciate the warmer weather that indicated it might actually be spring under all that rain. Some sun would be amazing. Closing her eyes and dreaming of warm weather and warmer arms, she wondered if Paul would go with her to visit her mom. A familiar feeling settled over her bones. Not happiness, but contentment? Need? She assumed it was Paul. He made her feel good. She felt good. Kind of numb, but good. Was Paul over here?

As if on autopilot, Bella wandered to the left instead of across the parking lot to the wolves that had managed to sneak their hands into each other's shorts. They were too busy to notice a dazed Bella wander off. The rolled up windows left them with a muted sense of smell and they didn't even notice her leave the building.

She couldn't explain it. She didn't even realize she was doing it. But  _ something _ was drawing her this way. Was it just a feeling? The slightest smell drawing her in. Human senses didn't allow her to pinpoint the memory tugging at the back of her mind. Her feet carried her around the corner and down an alley between buildings. There were dumpsters for the salon and the restaurant next door. Forgetting everything else, she followed the feeling down the alley.

She needed it, whatever it was. Craved it. All rational thought was replaced with a sense of longing for whatever was drawing her in. Her nerve endings tingled and her mind felt like it was in a fog. A wonderful, blank fog that blocked out worries, fears, and any sense of free will.

She wasn't even startled when Laurent stepped out from a shadow.

Revised 10/14/2020


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Listless eyes took in the vampire before her. Any panic or fear that she logically understood that she should be feeling was replaced by an artificial complacency. That  _ scent. _ An aroma that drew her in, saturating her being with dulcet olfactory memories.

Humanity and self-preservation forgotten, Bella inhaled the rapture that numbed her senses. Numbed her inhibitions, her sense of reason. She lost herself completely in the bone-deep need for the source of that sweet, undeniable nectar.

Somewhere under the fog, Bella understood what she was feeling. She recognized the draw that Billy had called thrall. Even Edward had warned her. They were the perfect predator that drew in their prey with every sense. And she was only human.

But her thoughts didn't register Edward specifically or the missing Cullens. She wasn't drawn to their memory. Just the feeling of blissful surrender, a respite from her anxiety addled brain. This loss of control allowed the predator to draw her in easier than Laurent ever imagined. He mused to himself that she really was a vampire's pet, addicted and desperate for the power of thrall.

The porcelain beads at the end of each of his locs swayed and clinked with each step. The soft soundtrack only drew her in more. His ashy vampiric complexion ruined what once would have been rich milk chocolate skin. Bella idly wondered what he looked like before he was turned. The man was probably handsome, but this creature held the too-perfect ethereal beauty as was the trademark of his kind.

He wore simple clothes that probably needed a wash. A trench coat hung down to his knees, outlining strong, square shoulders. Her eyes tracked down his body, following the lines of the seams along his arms. Huh? Where did his hand go? Something about a missing hand sounded familiar, but the fog didn't allow her to make the proper connections.

His bare feet were muddy and Bella wondered where his shoes went. It didn't matter. The thought was gone as soon as it flitted through her mind.

She was forgetting something.

"Come with me, little pet."

The musical voice, tinted with his French accent, seemed to float across the air between them. Laurent spoke with such confidence that it confused her. She knew he must be here to avenge the fallen members of his coven. She remembered fiery red hair and a scary man. What was his name again? Oh, did he say something?

The creature that was once a man was beckoning her forward with his only hand. Why wouldn't she go with him? The words didn't register, comprehension was past her capabilities in this state. Something was wrong. Thinking was hard. Her feet encouraged her forward, but something even stronger was screaming in her head to stop. She hesitated just long enough that Laurent repeated the command.

He never had to say an order twice.

The wind shifted and a break in the clouds let the sun shine down. The blinding reflection of diamonds in the sun snapped Bella from her hypnosis with a gasp. This was no angel beckoning her with sweet promises and tingly numbness. This was a demon, lurring her back into a hell that she had clawed tooth and nail out of to survive after Edward left.

Bella let out an ear splitting scream with such force that she popped a blood vessel in her eye. Stumbling backwards, she tripped over her own feet in a reflex attempt to put distance between herself and her demons. Adrenaline coursing through her veins masked any pain she would have felt when she fell to the ground, hands splayed back to brace her fall.

Laurent was still frozen in place, looking at his remaining glittering hand like it had betrayed him. The ancient vampire wasn't a fighter. His gift made it so it never came to a physical altercation. He was not prepared for his words to fail him. The sun would give him away if another human saw him and his gift wouldn't save him from everything. Or everyone. Laurent was more afraid of the Volturi than a pack of wolves.

So he ran.

Bella's scream alerted the two shifters in the parking lot. Like a shot from a starter gun, they were out of the truck and running with curses on their breath. Bleach and the cloying sweetness of the enemy was all that Quil and Embry could smell once they left the truck and followed the scent into the alley at inhuman speeds. They didn't have to answer to the Volturi if they were seen and the Council would understand the need to protect an imprint. Paul wouldn't understand how she had been in danger in the first place. They would be eviscerated if a hair on her head was out of place.

All that was left of Laurent was a flash of glittering skin rounding the corner by the time they were standing over Bella in the alleyway.

_ No blood. _ He didn't attack her, but the sharp tang of pain and anxiety was still heavy in the air.

_ Steady heartbeat.  _ Fast, but present.

That was the only reassurance Quil needed to leave Bella in Embry's care and take off after the leech. That monster was so close to her. He couldn't get away with this. She was his charge and he had failed. His pack brother had trusted Quil with his imprint and he had failed.

Quil made it two steps down the alley before Embry jerked him back with a firm grasp on his mate's wrist.

"Quil, no," he urged. "You know you can't get him alone. Bella is our priority. I'll phase and tell whoever is on patrol what happened and then call Jake or Leah."

At least someone was thinking straight. Quil was on a warpath and Bella was barely coming to her senses. Only a steady stream of mumbled "no's" floated past numb lips under vacant eyes. One of her hands was cradled to her chest while she slowly rocked back and forth to the pace of her chant.

Quil had her protectively cradled into his chest when Embry came running back from the wooded area behind the shops snapping his shorts back up, "No need to call an Alpha, they were both phased. Jake is on his way. Leah is dealing with something, they didn't say what." Glossing over the details was for Bella's sake. She didn't need more on her plate at the moment. Embry gave his mate a pointed look that said  _ I'll tell you later _ . He knew that she would blame herself for the chaos currently erupting on the rez.

Nodding his understanding, Quil stood up with the shell shocked girl in his arms. Her head lolled back with the motion, hair falling in her face. Adjusting his grip to free a hand, Quil brushed the hair behind her ear to uncover uninhabited eyes and lax lips. He worried over the blood-red splotch staining the white of her left eye. She had stopped her mumbled "no's" and was just laying limp in his arms. Glassy eyed and uncaring of anything happening around her.

"Shit, Embry, she's high on vamp stank." They had all heard Billy's theories on Bella's reaction to vampire thrall. He compared it to a drug that she had been addicted to, but none of the pack really understood the effect vampires had on humans. To the wolves, the smell burned their nostrils and churned their stomachs. No human on the rez had contact with leeches and the Cullens had left before Bella got to know any of the boys apart from Jake.

"Honey, you're okay," Quil tried to comfort her. "He's gone now." His voice drew her gaze, but he was sure she didn't understand.

It only took Jake three and a half minutes to get to Bella. It would have been two if he didn't need to phase human and temper his speed to run the last half mile. Most of Forks wasn't directly accessible by routing just through the woods. Weird looks for running barefoot through the outskirts of town were better than Animal Control getting dispatched.

Before even greeting his pack brothers, Jake had Bella in his arms and his face pressed into her hair. Touch and scent. His pack mate and best friend was safe. Pulling back to take careful inventory of her face, he finally addressed the two other men in the alley, "We can't take her back to Charlie like this. She looks high as a fucking kite."

Quil ducked his head and his ears turned bright red at the mere mention of Charlie. His "dad" slip earlier was still fresh in his mind and he wasn't looking forward to facing the man again today. Thankfully, Embry had the Chief's schedule memorized to utilize every opportunity possible to sneak into his imprint's window.

"He's working a double today. He won't be back until after the night shift, but it's the weekend so he'll probably go straight to Billy's to go fishing in the morning."

Jake just raised his eyebrows, fully understanding why his packmate had Charlie's schedule memorized. They were in the clear to take Bella home and hopefully it would give Jake a little more time to figure out how they were going to tell Paul about this.

Embry pulled the truck around to the mouth of the alley to minimize the chance of someone calling the FBI when three hulking shirtless men loaded a lifeless girl into their car. Jake held Bella on his lap while he told the others what had happened as quietly as possible. Her human ears most likely wouldn't catch it, especially in this state, but he didn't want to take any chances.

Laurent had run close enough to the edge of the rez that his mere proximity had caused Brady and Collin to bust into fur in the middle of a game of one-on-one in the Fuller's backyard. Luck was on their side for once. The boys were alone and in the backyard of a council member that already knew about the wolves. Collin still had the remains of a basketball skewered into the claws of his front paw when Jake left them in Leah's care.

No one spoke while they each individually contemplated the events of the day. Two new wolves. A leech somehow got into Forks? How did it get past their radar? Jared was supposed to be wrapping up the last double shift of his punishment, but the older wolf was nowhere to be found. When Embry had phased to show Jake through the pack mind what had happened, all he could sense from his Alpha was rage. Where the fuck was Jared?

Breaking the silence Embry wondered, "How come every patient Carlisle saw or every student at Forks High wasn't like this every day those parasites were in town?"

"Yeah, we never heard anything about half of Forks acting like zombies every time a glittery fucker walked in a room," Quil grumbled.

Jake sighed, shaking his head in disgust of the way those leeches manipulated Bella. "Nobody else in Forks spent so much time around the Cullens. Every moment until those leeches left town, that creepy asshole was within five feet of her. He even watched her sleep."

"What the fuck?" the mated pair gasped at the same time. Shock evident in his voice, Embry asked, "Did she know?"

"Yeah," Jake said, just as weirded out as his pack brothers. "She wanted him around  _ at all times _ . Now I get why." He pointedly looked down to the limp girl in his arms, still staring out into space. "She was so wrapped up in thrall, it physically hurt to be away from him."

"That is so fucked up. Talk about unhealthy relationships." Grateful for his soulmate, Quil squeezed his imprint's hand in his lap from where he was squished into the middle seat of the cab of the truck.

To nobody's surprise, Paul was waiting for them when they pulled the beast of a truck into the driveway of the Swan home. He had felt the stress of her encounter through their bond and phased immediately, barely making it out of the construction site. The pups had automatically repeated everything Embry had shown them when Paul's protective rage entered the pack mind.

Jake was not happy to see the snarling wolf pacing along the side of the Swan's house. Damn it, he was supposed to be at work right now. He was going to lose his job if he kept up the disappearing act. The second Jake stepped out of the truck holding Bella, Paul was human again and pulling her from his Alpha's hold.

Bella sunk into the embrace like his arms were the most comfortable place in the world. His precious cargo was the only thing preventing Paul from delivering justice right this moment. Threatening Quil would have to do until he could deliver his promise. He sneered through gritted teeth, glaring daggers at the person he had trusted with his mate. "I will kick your ass so hard that your vertebrae will pop out of your mouth one by one like a motherfucking pez dispenser." Paul turned on his heel and stomped into the house.

Jake knew Quil was well and truly put in place by the more dominant wolf when he didn't even crack a hint of his usual smile at Paul's creative and colorful threat. Embry was equally shrouded by the shame of letting Laurent get so close to an imprint that he didn't even growl at the threat to his mate. The pack bonds were really taking a hit today.

By nightfall the numbness had melted away into chills and cold sweats. Paul had taken her into the bathroom to run a damp cloth over her forehead. Calming words and begging petitions for her to snap out of it did nothing. Between each sweet sentiment Paul was offering increasingly violent and creative ways to exact vengeance on the vampire that had caused this. Paul promised she would never have to face a Cold One again if he had anything to say about it.

Quil, Embry, and Jake collectively cringed from the living room when they all heard Bella hurl moments later. This was the Bella that Jake remembered. He had spent months putting her back together piece by piece in his garage with warm sodas and hugs.

The boys tried to get her to eat while Paul tried his hardest to hold her so tightly that her skin actually fused with his own. Jake knew it would take a crowbar to get Paul away from Bella after today.

Predictably, Mr. Cameron called to let Paul know he didn't need to bother coming back to work.

He didn't care.

Bella was the only thing that mattered right now. Dealing with his newly unemployed status was a problem for future-Paul because right now, his attention was myopically focused on watching those beautiful, warm chocolate eyes for any sign of life. Her heartbeat was slow but steady. Her breaths were even. Still the occasional "no" passed her lips, but none of the wolves knew what she was protesting.

Jake had found a wrist brace in Bella's extensive first aid collection. They had determined it was pretty badly broken, but they couldn't exactly bring her into an emergency room like this. There were more questions than they would have answers and it would have to wait. Her wrist was now forgotten, lying limp in her lap. She no longer smelled like adrenaline and pain, calming Paul's wolf down considerably. Thank the spirits that the asshole hadn't actually touched her so the vague smell of leech was long gone.

Without knowing how else to help her, they decided their best course of action was to just wait.

Jake phased in the backyard to check in on the pups and his other half. Leah said she was fine and didn't need him. The faintest longing clung to her thoughts despite her words. She missed him.

God, Jake loved that she missed him.

He phased back before an unusually powerful thought broke through his mental walls into the pack mind. He wasn't ready to tell her. It was too soon, right?

But a part of him already knew that she loved him too.

"Collin and Brady are fine," Jake spoke, stepping back into the house with his shorts half done up. "How's Bells?"

Paul wrestled back his automatic sarcastic response, instead speaking directly to his mate with all the gentleness he could muster. "It's been months since we burned the shit Cullen had left behind. She hasn't had an encounter with their scent for a long time." A finger traced delicately down the side of her face, his last words merely a pained whisper, "No wonder the power of that fucker's thrall affected you so badly."

Soaking up the warmth from her place on Paul's lap, Bella took her time slowly putting the pieces together. Awareness faded in gradually, drawing strength from her mate.

Laurent was back. Laurent came for her when Victoria failed. She had been taken down by the pack, but Bella hadn't heard anything about Laurent coming around too.

This is what they had been keeping from her. This was the lie they had all been dancing around. She knew something was fishy, but she trusted them. She trusted her best friend and her mate to keep her safe and  _ informed _ . But the hand Jake has locked in a gun safe in his garage belongs to  _ Laurent _ . Who was here to  _ kill her. _

At the moment Bella didn't have the mental capacity to be angry or hurt by the betrayal. She had been lied to and manipulated by those closest to her. This was why the pack was essentially stalking her. They had even moved Quil into her house to keep a closer eye on her. She was a burden to their already daunting task of protecting all human life. She had brought even more strife to the pack and she didn't even know. She had just been starting to recover from the horrible guilt of hurting Paul with her rejection, but here she was hurting the whole pack just by existing.

Each thought passed through her mind with a clinical analysis that was habitual to her neurotic mind, but completely void of the attached emotions. She wasn't hurt, or mad or… anything.

Even the pain radiating from her wrist was an afterthought. It was definitely broken, but she just didn't care. Just another thought floating through her mind. Swimming around her brain. "No" was the only word she knew how to say and she wasn't sure what exactly she was protesting. Life? The past haunting her? Everything?

Her brain felt like an Alice in Wonderland themed trippy nightmare. Thoughts were sluggish, but she was starting to make connections. Coherent thoughts. She recognized the familiar sensations of numb existence, but this time without the heartbreak that had been associated with Edward. She sneered the name in her mind.

_ Edward. _

The accompanying anger brought just a dash of clarity through the fog in her mind. Bella realized why she felt so shitty when that douchey asshole had left her. Thrall had left her in a state of perpetual escape. She hadn't been living in reality. During her time with him she was on Planet Mush Brain, Population: 1.

Being abandoned on the cold forest floor was traumatizing, yes, but having to wake up the next morning in Forks, Washington to her very normal human existence was a culture shock that her brain just couldn't process. The entire time that Edward had been her ever-present icy shadow, she was being dosed with fairy tales and magical promises. This time she knew what was happening and understood the trance she was waking up from. Last time it took her three months and a whole lot of Jacob's bone-crushing bear hugs to snap her out of it. Oh  _ hell no _ , was she going to let one of those disco ball motherfuckers play tricks with her mind again.

That motivation was the last push Bella needed to weakly break out of Paul's grasp and stand firm on her own. Standing firm was more metaphorical than she would have liked. Her legs were wobbly on faltering feet and her muscles ached all over. Bella squeezed her eyes shut for a minute before shaking her head as if to shake off the mental cobwebs. She squared her shoulders and demanded in the strongest voice she could muster, "How the hell did that leech get into Forks?"

Quil let out a very lupine whine from his place in Embry's arms. The guilt was eating him alive. They should have been paying attention. They should have been with her. Embry handed Bella a cup of tea that she took robotically with her good hand. He was just trying to care for her the only way he knew how.

Now that the silence had been broken, Paul decided he had waited long enough to speak up.

"And where the hell were you two?!" Paul demanded. Bella flinched at his rough tone before coming to the defense of who she now realized were her bodyguards.

"No, I told them to stay in the car. If I had  _ known _ a vampire was after me, maybe I would have been more careful!" Bella screamed at Jake. He was the Alpha. He was her best friend. He should have told her.

And  _ Paul. _

Wasn't he supposed to not be able to lie to her? She turned to face him once again. Every purposeful exhale drawing the thrall from her body and the cloudiness from her mind. Every inhale fortified her resolve and fanned the flames of her anger.

"You  _ know _ how much I hate feeling helpless, Paul."

She took a step back towards him, swaying a little on unsteady legs. Paul instinctively reached a steadying hand towards her. Hurt flashed in his eyes when she jerked away from him, sloshing tea out of the mug she forgot she was even holding.

"I'm fine." She reassured him in a clipped tone. Her eyes plead for his understanding. Bella knew his concern came from a place of love, but being coddled wasn't what she needed right now. She needed to be the strong self-assured woman she built herself up to be after Edward had left her. Paul deserved the recognition as her protector, but now she understood that he didn't need to be cast aside just so she could stand up on her own. They were partners and they were going to face this together. She straightened to her full height, barely taller than him where he was still seated on the couch.

"I don't want to be out of the loop anymore. Those leeches have taken enough away from me." She reflexively rolled the wrist with James' bite mark, wincing at the shooting pain from the movement. She looked down, noticing the brace for the first time since waking up from her trance.

"What the fuck is this?!" Bella held up her wrapped hand, looking between the boys for an answer. Paul just looked confused while Quil and Embry looked to their Alpha for a clue on how to handle the latest whiplash turn of this conversation.

"Umm, Bells," Jake started, seeing that his pack brothers were leaving this one to him. "You fell back or something and landed on it wrong. It looks broken." Jake didn't bother mentioning the blood vessel that had burst in her eye because it curiously was already gone. Had it healed that quickly?

"I'm going to kill that bastard!" Bella slammed the cup of tea to the ground in an uncharacteristic bout of anger. The destructive pleasure only riled Bella up further, egging her on.

Paul flinched at the crash of ceramic against the hardwood floor of the living room. Hair trigger anger and exaggerated emotional responses were normal after a relapse. This was familiar territory for Paul. Once again he wondered if the Spirits knew what they were doing when they gave this imprint to the only wolf who would understand relapse and withdrawal. As much as he wished he didn't have personal experience with this uglier side of life, he was grateful for his mother for the first time.

Instead of arguing with her or trying to calm her down, Paul simply handed her another mug.

Collin and Brady were only thirteen years old. They were too young to phase. If their smaller size wasn't evidence enough, their maturity certainly made it clear. Brady was chasing his tail and Collin was seeing how far he could stand up and walk on his hind legs like a person.

For once Leah was glad for Sam's presence. He usually didn't like being around either of the new Alphas for a multitude of reasons, but today he was glad to be useful. Sam had watched every new wolf adjust to the transformation, so Leah had asked for his help with the new pups. Just the presence of two dominant wolves gave the young ones a sense of security in their vulnerable nubile state. Leah nipped their sides and nudged them with her muzzle as they jumped and ran around her like a true pack mama. Once they got to know her, they'd appreciate how rare this caring and maternal side of her showed through her tough exterior. Sam loved seeing the Lee-Lee he remembered once again, but he'd never dare let that endearment slip into the pack mind. The looming ebony wolf sat on his haunches and silently watched the puppies play around and get adjusted to their new form. Once they weren't tripping over their paws, Sam was going to lead them on a patrol loop of the border.

The first Alpha made a mental syllabus for Wolfpack 101. Maybe he should really write a handbook? Leah caught his train of thought and hoped dearly that there wouldn't be enough new wolves to require a mass produced field guide. Ten seemed like more than enough. Leah didn't want to deal with a bigger litter.

Collin did not like all of the puppy references.  _ Are young wolves even called pups? You know how some animals have weird names for their babies like how a baby fish is called a fingerling or a baby fox is called a kit? _

Laughing at his pack brother, Brady teased.  _ Why do you even know that? You're so gay, Collin. _

_ HEY!  _ Leah cut them off, whipping around to nip Brady's flank in a bruising reprimand.  _ I will not tolerate ignorance and bigotry in my pack. _

A mental montage from both Sam and Leah filled the pack mind. Quil getting kicked out of his childhood home, Embry getting called homophobic slurs in the grocery store, the memory of when they first imprinted, the defeated longing in the couple's stares as everyone around them got to freely express their love without judgement.

_ I.. I didn't mean it like that,  _ Brady apologized,  _ it's just something we say.  _ The small dark grey wolf was lowered as far to the ground as he physically could be, instinctually submitting to Leah's anger. Collin's brown and tan patched wolf was frozen in place with his ears pinned back in fear. He wasn't even the one being scolded, but his spirit wolf knew to show deference to the powerful Alpha female.

_ Well don't say it. I don't want to hear that shit again. _

Being new to the concept of sharing minds, Brady revealed more than he wanted to. The thought wasn't clearly formed into words but the sentiment was clear to even Seth who was silently patrolling in the background of the pack mind.  _ How can I be a bigot if I kinda like boys too? _

_ You WHAT?  _ Collin gasped internally. Thankfully it wasn't a reaction of disgust or anger like Brady feared, just hurt that he hadn't told his best friend. Brady quickly defended his secret, saying that he wasn't gay, just curious. Leah mentally applauded the younger generations' acceptance of each other. Old Quil could learn a lesson or two from these guys.

_ At least you two didn't imprint on each other. I couldn't imagine having another pair of love sick puppies fawning all over each other after listening to Quil and Embry. _

Both Brady and Collin dramatically gagged at the idea of being a couple.

_ Ok, maybe I don't like boys.  _ Brady joked just to get a rise out of the other wolf.

Taking the bait, Collin tackled his best friend and the pair rolled into the underbrush.  _ Shut up, I'm totally hot, you dick! _

Leah and Sam sat back like proud parents, tuning out the pups' jeers and letting them duke it out on their own. Play fighting was a normal pastime for all of the pack members. It was natural for the wolves and Leah was glad they were getting used to their new bodies and instincts.

Sam reflected on his first days as a wolf. They weren't carefree moments under the watch of a protective Alpha. They were a living nightmare. Weeks alone in the forest, hungry and weak. Packless. Hopeless. He had convinced himself he had gone insane and was forever stuck as a wolf. He eventually phased back in his sleep, convinced it was all a horrific dream. Old Quil had put the pieces together and explained the legends when Sam wandered back into town. He had been so worried about Leah. And he came back only to break her heart repeatedly. First with lies and then with an imprint.

_ I forgive you. _

Fuck, he had thought that out loud.  **Fuck!** How did his life get so confusing that that made sense?!

Leah repeated, saturating her thoughts with sincerity.

_ I forgive you, Sam. _

For the first time, he believed her. A weight was lifted off of his chest and relief flooded his mind. The burden of Leah's heartbreak on top of everything else had been so much for the first Alpha to bear.

_ Thank you, Leah. _

She took a leaping step further into the trees and stepped back out on two feet, a loose cotton dress hanging from her shoulders. Sam's relief was too hard for her to feel.

"Go take the pups for a run," Leah waved the black wolf towards the still wrestling wolves. "We'll get the pack together for a meeting soon."

When Sam hesitated she repeated, "Go."

Leah had excellent control of her mind when phased with other wolves. As a natural Alpha, it had been effortless since day one to speak to the other wolves with the ability to choose her words carefully as if she was speaking them out loud. Her pack members didn't have the same luxury of privacy. The translucency of her brothers was helpful to understand them best. Knowing the thought and motivation behind someone's actions gives a crystal clear picture of your soldiers. She knew how to best utilize their strengths and weaknesses and she better understood them as men. Well,  _ boys. _

But feeling the emotions of now  _ nine _ other people? It could be too much.

She relished the peace of having no other voices in her head. Unless you counted her wolf, but she didn't exactly talk to Leah. She thought of her inner wolf as the spirit of Kaliso. This spirit is what she attributed her lupine tendencies to. The pull in her gut that told her that Jake was in Forks right now. That was Kaliso. The constant vigilance of taking in her surroundings and processing for threats. That was Kaliso. The crushing responsibility of the needs and wants of all of her pack members?

That was all Leah Clearwater.

Nine lives were in her hands. Jake was her equal, but she still felt protective of him as her mate. If you included the imprints, that was three more lives that Leah was bound to.

For the millionth time, Leah was grateful she was not an imprint or an imprinted wolf. Jake was her mate through their Alpha bond thingy, but she wouldn't throw herself over a cliff if it made him happy. All of the imprinted wolves had no control when it came to their mates. Sam was the biggest pussy of them all when it came to Emily. She controlled Sam like a giant marionette.

Wow, Leah mused to herself, he used to carry the authority of the Alpha command. What if Emily was a secret, evil double agent and she made Sam order the wolves to march right into the arms of an evil coven of vampires that she was consorting with? Leah laughed out loud at the thought of Emily's maniacal laughter, rubbing her hands together as her scheme played out perfectly.

As her laugh echoed into the empty forest around her, she realized just how crazy she looked laughing all alone in the trees. She quickly sobered when she remembered the potential problem she had shoved to the back burner. In reality there might be an imprint who just might have the ability to give orders.  _ Bella. _

Bella wasn't a scheming evil mastermind, Leah had to remind herself. The little devil on her shoulder piped up.  _ But she was the vampire lover. _ Paul's latest unnecessarily detailed mental imagery flashed through Leah's mind and she didn't need to question that Bella was certainly loving on a wolf now. The Cullen's weren't even in town anymore and it didn't seem like the girl still held any kindness for the coven that had just left her to freeze to death in the middle of the forest. A little harsh, even for heartless monsters.

Leah continued to wander through the trees aimlessly while she focused. She always did her best thinking while alone in nature.

If Bella really had inherited Paul's beta status with the mark… That would make Bella the fourth in command in the pack. What came after Beta? Would that be Delta? Gamma? Whatever. Leah thought back to everything Embry had shown them. He had said, " _ She told us to stay in the car and it took her screaming for us to snap out of it _ ". Maybe the wind was blowing the leech smell the wrong way and if the windows were shut? No. Embry had seemed seriously freaked like he knew something was off about it. That was potentially dangerous. Especially if she didn't know.

Bella's orders would be just as powerful and effective as Paul's. It wasn't the same overriding compulsion that came with an Alpha order, but it would still take considerable strength to break. Especially a brand new wolf like Brady or Collin.

Leah was surprised by the protective affection she felt towards the two new puppies. They were pack and she would protect the little losers. This maternal side of her had been buried deep in her psyche, or maybe just neglected. Usually Seth was the only person she cared to look out for, but now she had  _ so many _ people relying on her. And Jacob. They were in this together.

Paul was now part of her support system and she could delegate some responsibility to their Beta. Thank the spirits that Jared was such a weak wolf that when he was Sam's Beta, his command didn't mean shit.

Jared was the next problem she needed to tackle. Jake was handling Bella, Laurent was gone for now, leaving Jared's missing furry butt as the only loose thread. He was supposed to be on patrol when Laurent showed up, so where was he? They had extended their routes to cover the area between Forks and La Push so whoever was on patrol should have seen the evil leech try to sneak into town. Seth had patrol covered for now, and Sam had the pups running the borders too. They would let her know if the leech tried to come back, so she had time to do some fact finding. She wanted to be sure before she relieved Jared of his balls when she found him.

The demo crew had moved to the kitchen to find more ammunition. The linoleum in the Swan's kitchen was littered with shattered plates and mugs. Paul knew that Bella and Charlie weren't particularly attached to their dinnerware set and he knew from experience that plates were easier一and less depressing一to clean up than picture frames.

At one point screaming had moved on to sobbing, but the anger had made its way back around. This time instead of hiding from Bella, confused and a little scared, Embry and Quil were happily handing her things to break and encouraging her to let out some steam.

"WHAT WAS HE DOING IN HIGH SCHOOL? WHO LIVES FOREVER AND DECIDES TO GO TO HIGH SCHOOL FIFTY TIMES?" She took a few huffing breaths before continuing at a lower volume. "That's a whole new level of masochism. Hanging out with your singer 24/7 and living with that torture is one thing but HIGH SCHOOL?!"

Bella's ranting was mostly focused on Edward, not the vampire that actually induced this particular bout of thrall. It was Edward afterall who gave her this exaggerated reaction.

"If he wasn't some sort of mythological nightmare creature I would have had Charlie arrest him! Who the fuck does he think he is sneaking around in my room at night?!" Her hands flailed about wildly, gesticulating with no correlation to the words coming out of her mouth.

Paul just sat back and watched the show. Bella needed this. Jake was watching from the edge of the kitchen, worried that Bella was going to hurt herself more than anything else. Quil and Embry had actually made a bag of popcorn and were scoring each piece of broken ceramic on a scale of 1- 10. Before today, they had a hard time believing Paul when he told them the story of tiny, harmless Bella calling the leech "Twatward McSparkleNuts." After seeing this side of Bella, it wasn't hard to believe anymore.

Quil leaned over from where he was perched on the counter to ask Embry, "I wonder why she didn't have such exaggerated highs and lows the whole time this scent was in her room?" Embry turned to grab the bag of popcorn, scrunching his nose in thought before answering.

"Maybe because it was an old scent it affected her differently? This was a fresh vamp right in her face," Embry suggested, shoving a handful of popcorn into his mouth.

Bella whipped around, throwing a mug with impressive might directly between the boys' heads, where it crashed into shards on the cabinet behind them.

"Are you two really trying to apply logic to all of this supernatural, hocus pocus, magical, fairytale bullshit?!" She shrieked.

"What were you aiming for?!" Jake asked in horror from across the room, ready to hide behind the door frame to the living room if her crosshairs came his way. Quil complained that there were tiny ceramic bits in his snack and Embry was pretending to be offended because  _ hey _ — they all were part of that whole supernatural, hocus pocus, magical, fairytale bullshit.

Her rant continued as another plate met it's violent end, "He was over a hundred years old! Just because he looked young doesn't mean he wasn't some old creepy pervert sneaking around and essentially drugging an underage girl! I was only seventeen when we met! He's a pedophile!" She stomped her foot and repeated a full octave higher, "A PEDOPHILE!"

Paul couldn't help his bark of laughter. Bella wheeled around to face him with fire in her eyes. For a split second he was actually afraid of her.

"And you!"  _ Oh no. _

"You love me so much!" The tone of her voice still suggested she was angry and Paul wasn't sure where this was going. Whatever she saw in his face flipped a switch because the next second she was crying again, flinging herself into his arms.

"I don't deserve you, Paul!" The words were hard to understand between the shuddering sobs. "I don't deserve any of you! You're all working so hard to keep me safe and I didn't even know. You patrol and protect your people and nobody thanks you. Nobody even knows you're out there. It's not fair." She turned to Quil and Embry before continuing, "And your imprint must be so hard, having Quil be all the way out here in Forks. Thank you!"

Bella dropped her latest ceramic victim without a thought and flung herself at the couple. Paul deftly caught the plate an inch from the floor and growled at the wolves touching his mate. She ignored Paul and wrapped one arm around each of their waists. The boys were not sure what to do with the hysterical woman. Afraid to touch Paul's imprint anymore than necessary, Embry patted her back and Quil awkwardly patted the top of her head where it was buried between their chests. Paul was glad to see she was being careful of her injured hand while she held the boys in a giant hug.

Quil spoke up first, realizing she wasn't letting them go any time soon, "Don't worry about it Bells, this has actually been great for our imprint, but this wasn't about us. We were supposed to protect you. I was supposed to protect you. And I failed. That.. that leech was so close."

Paul cut in, "It'll never happen again. Now that I have.." he cleared his throat, not ready to tell Bella that he lost his job. "Now that I have more free time, I can be with you. I can protect you."

"I can move out. I'll crash somewhere else," Quil stammered, now running a comforting hand over Bella's hair. "Paul will be able to protect you better anyway. I don't need to be here."

"No!" Her voice was firm as she pulled back and craned her neck to look directly at Quil in the eye. "You're staying."

"Bells," Quil tried to deflect. "You don't need me here anymore."

"You're not staying as my bodyguard, Quil." She took his hand with her good one and looked back and forth between him and Embry. "You're staying because you're family."

This time Quil instigated the hug, burying his face in her hair to hide the tears welling in his eyes. Ever since being kicked out, he hadn't felt like he really belonged anywhere.

The Hallmark moment didn't last. Shakira blared from Jake's pocket in a muffled voice but loud enough for the lyrics to be clearly heard. Much to the amusement of everyone in the room.

" _ There's a she-wolf in the closet, _

_ Open up and set her free." _

Jake scrambled to answer the phone, his ears redder than Bella had ever seen. Quil and Embry were rolling on the floor laughing like the couple of dogs they were. Paul just had a smirk pulling up half of his beautiful features and Bella had an idea of who had changed the ringtone.

Finally having wrestled the offending device from his shorts, Jake answered the phone in a comically breathless voice.

"Yes?"

"Well hello to you, too, sweetheart."

Paul laughed at Leah's usual biting tone. Bella quircked an eyebrow in question, being the only one in the room who couldn't hear both sides of the conversation.

"Leah," Paul whispered into her ear, pulling her thankfully calmer self into his arms and sinking back into a chair. Bella laughed, finally getting the ringtone, and made herself at home across Paul's lap.

"Sure, Sure, but we have to get Bells to Forks General first. Her wrist is broken."

The wolves in the room heard Leah make sure Paul was handling all this well and then confirm with Jake that they were all expected back at Sam's to debrief as soon as they were done at the hospital. Jake's deferential "yes ma'am" brought the first smile to Bella's lips all afternoon.

Revised 10/15/2020


	17. Chapter 17

Bella sat up in bed, holding her head in her hands.

"I need coffee."

"Lay back down, Princess," Paul murmured from where his face was still mashed into the pillow. "You know it'll just make you feel worse." A warm arm wrapped around Bella's waist and gently tugged her back. Ever since her encounter with Laurent a month ago, Bella woke up with a headache. The worst aftereffects of thrall weren't nearly as bad this time around without any lingering vamp stench to inhibit her recovery. She spent a couple of days feeling what she imagined a hangover was like. The occasional bout of nausea persisted, but lately, just the morning headaches were her only remaining symptoms from the effects of the vampire thrall.

Thankfully, Paul had a wonderful remedy for a headache.

He pulled her back against his chest, sinking into the soft sheets of Bella's bed. One heated, beefy arm was her pillow while the other snaked around her middle to pull her tighter against his need for her.

"I know what will make you feel better," Paul whispered against the shell of her ear before gently biting down on the lobe and tugging.

"You know, most women use a headache as an excuse to get out of sex," Bella bantered. She rocked her hips back against his hardened flesh, directly contradicting her words.

"Oh, I'm sorry ma'am, I'll leave you alone then." She could hear the laughter in his tone, but still desperately held on to his forearm when he began to pull away from her as if to get up. The purple plaster cast on her left wrist made most things harder for her already clumsy self, but she could still dig her nails into him just the same.

"You can stay," she said, trying to keep her voice even and not sound like she was begging him. Based on the throbbing between her legs, she thought her vagina might lead a mutiny if she let him leave now.

Of course he could smell what he did to her body. Waking up to slow, sensual morning sex was probably Paul's favorite thing in the world. Sure, the pack made fun of him for being a giant pussy, but Paul didn't care. They would never know how amazing her body felt holding him in her tight heat. Hearing her little whimpers and sounds of pleasure.

Paul's lips and teeth needed access to more of her flesh. His hands took a break from exploring her curves to brush her hair back over her delicate shoulder. This was his favorite position in which to sleep, but even more so, his favorite way to wake up. His mark was perfectly placed for him to take full advantage of at this angle. When his lips found the ring of scars, Bella's body shuddered head to toe with pleasure. If she wasn't ready before, she most definitely was now.

Paul didn't bother with clothes when he snuck into her window at night, but Bella's little sleep shorts were still in his way. Charlie wasn't due back from his early morning fishing trip for at least another hour, so he was free and clear to disrobe Bella of the annoying barrier. 

Ideally, she'd spend every minute possible in the nude. He had already pushed her tank top up out of the way, but that last fabric hurdle needed to go. As much as he wished he could just rip them off, he had promised to save ruining clothes for special occasions and absolute emergencies. That was an argument they had to repeat last time Paul ripped her clothes right off her body. Apparently being really, really horny didn't count as an emergency.

A wiggle of her hips helped Paul remove the shorts. Before Bella could even finish kicking them off of the end of the bed, Paul had dipped down to lift her top leg just enough to slide home. They fit like puzzle pieces. He paused at the hilt to enjoy the blissful moment of that first thrust into perfection. Bella arched her back, taking him in impossibly deeper.

Slow rocking brought heavenly friction. They both loved the leisurely intimacy of spooning. Paul's slow, rhythmic motions sent waves of pleasure over Bella. She dug her nails into the arm still supporting her head. His other hand held her hip in a vice grip.

Occasionally Paul got so lost in their coupling that he forgot his own strength, leaving finger shaped bruises on her pale flesh. He always felt horrible, kissing the purple marks with apologies and promises to be more careful. Bella secretly loved when he left additional marks on her skin. She was his. Body, mind, and soul. And she liked when the physical reminder colored her skin the way his love had colored her spirit.

She wore Paul's Quileute promise bracelet on her wrist, his mark on her neck, his fingertip bruises of passion on her flesh, and his scent on her skin. Paul always talked about how she smelled like his mate and the wolves knew who she belonged to. Bella wanted to mark him just the same. She knew he must smell like her to the pack, but her human nose couldn't scent that kind of thing.

She wished all of the women that checked him out in the grocery store could tell that he belonged to her. A day dream crossed her mind of Paul wearing a wedding band.

The thought startled her back into the present. She had warmed up to the idea of marriage since their big fight about commitment, but she wasn't the kind of girl that grew up fantasizing about big white dresses and flower arrangements.

Paul must have caught on to her distraction because his even motions stilled and he nuzzled into her neck, still buried to the hilt in her body.

"What's got you thinking so hard over there?" He tried to hide the insecurity in his voice. He could tell that her mind was someplace else, but he didn't want to sound like a baby and tell her that his feelings were hurt.

Bella was embarrassed to be caught letting her thoughts drift mid-coitus. It's not that it didn't feel good. Being with Paul always felt good. But she hadn't been mentally present so she decided to be completely honest to make up for the transgression.

"I was thinking about how I wished that I could mark you. The closest thing would be a wedding ring, but you can't even wear one of those until you stop phasing. I want everyone to know that you're mine." She didn't turn back to meet his eye, but if she did, she would have seen the smile that reached nearly ear to ear. She had said the exact right thing.

"Oh yeah, Princess?" He withdrew and climbed over her, caging her body in his arms. "You'd want to sink your teeth into me?" A shy nod was her only confirmation. Bella held her plump bottom lip captive with her teeth. Playing coy, she didn't want to make eye contact. Her eyes watched her hands trace gentle patterns across his chest instead, too embarrassed to look into his leering eyes.

He wasn't going to let her get away with the innocent act for long. He intimately knew the confident, sexual goddess that hid behind that coquettish veneer. Paul leaned down to lightly drag his teeth along one collar bone and then the other. He traveled up the column of her neck to massage the flesh there too. Purposefully avoiding his mark, he continued his path back down to her chest to capture her nipples between teasing teeth.

Speaking with his lips still around her sensitive peak, he asked, "If you could mark me, where would it be?"

Feeling emboldened by his appreciative response to her confession, Bella pushed at his shoulders with a smile, indicating that she wanted him to roll over. She straddled his narrow hips, purposefully settling her wet center over his shaft. Slowly dragging herself along his length with slippery movements, she leaned down and peppered kisses just under his collarbone.

She couldn't easily reach much further up his body without breaking the contact between their nether regions and that was the last thing she wanted to do. She selected her spot on his chest, a nice meaty bite into his left pectoral. Paul encouraged her sliding motion along his cock while she sucked his skin into her mouth. He hoped she gave him a bright hickey to show off at the next pack meeting if it didn't heal too quickly. They were always shirtless anyways.

Of course, being inside her was preferable, but the drag of her sex along his was pretty fucking incredible too. He would have let her ride him like this until she came, shuddering beautifully, but he couldn't help himself any longer. When she sharply bit into his flesh—not hard enough to break the skin, he rolled his hips back and lifted her by the waist just enough to move her entrance right where he needed her most.

Paul thrust up into her with the sound of smacking skin and Bella's wail echoing off the walls. She sat back up in his lap, bracing her hands on his chest below where she indicated she'd mark him and he went to town pumping up into her with determination.

She leaned back in his lap and he knew what she wanted. He brought his thumb to her little bundle of nerves at the crest of her folds, applying pressure to the exact right spot. The new angle and the attention on her clit sent her flying into her first orgasm. She called his name in a throaty moan. He loved the way her walls clenched around him when she came.

Sitting up, Paul repositioned her legs behind his back one at a time. Bella was still coming down from what he would make sure was her first orgasm of many. She felt so full and so warm wrapped around him like this. Sitting across him in this position meant every minute movement would grind his pubic bone into her clit, sending aftershocks up her spine where it felt like it sizzled in the base of her skull.

He gave her a moment to rest before rocking his hips in and out of her again. At least in this position he could kiss her if he bent down. He wasn't even close to done with her yet, but he wanted to give her a moment to catch her breath before he took what he needed from her body. What she readily gave.

He knew she was ready for more when his rocking thrusts were met equally by her attempts to take him as deeply as possible. While he felt most thoroughly joined in this position, it didn't allow for the animalistic thrusting he desperately needed.

With easy strength, Paul was able to lift her enough to gather his legs under him and lay her down on the bed. Bracing himself on his knees above her, still joined where it mattered most, Paul began moving inside her in earnest. One hand on the bed next to her head held his body over her while his free hand clamped over his mark where her neck and shoulder met. He needed the grip on her shoulder to keep her from moving up the bed with every forceful thrust.

Bella's ankles locked around his lower back and her nails found purchase, leaving red claw marks along his back and ribs. The mixture of pain and pleasure spurred him on. Feeling his imminent release, Paul needed to ensure her pleasure. He was hoping to wring more than just one more orgasm from her body, but the tight heat of her walls clamping down on him was his undoing.

Her gasping breaths coming from her pretty pink lips, lax in pleasure, drove him wild.

"Fuck, Princess," he grunted. "Cum for me."

He released her shoulder to tug on her nipple the way he knew she liked, but he didn't move quick enough. The second he didn't have her torso pinned to the bed, she surprised him by leaning forward and clamping her teeth into his pectoral with more force than he thought she was capable of. The sharp smell of iron and the dual pain of her teeth in his skin and her nails in his back sent Paul into oblivion.

He roared his release, slamming into her body harder than he'd usually allow himself. Stars swam behind his eyes. The hand not supporting his weight now held her face to his chest, tangling in her hair.

Words were beyond him. She released her jaw and licked over the wound in a particularly lupine fashion. Bella slumped back to the bed, her hair fanning out under her, making her look like the siren she was. Before his face collapsed into the blankets next to her head, he caught the exquisite sight of Bella licking his ruby red blood off of her full lips. He wasn’t surprised at all that the animal inside him loved that. She would certainly be the death of him.

He would never allow this perfect moment to slip into the pack mind.

Eternity would not be long enough to bask in the afterglow of this moment. For the first time, he saw the appeal of living forever. Frozen in time wouldn't be so bad if it was anything like this.

But he couldn't enjoy the warmth of her body under his own for long. They had places to be. Reluctantly, Paul broke their physical connection and let her start her day. He was almost ashamed to admit he was proud of the slight limp in her step.

"If I'm staying over at Emily's tonight, I need to bring my graduation outfit with me," Bella mused when she returned from her shower. Much to his dismay, she steadfastly refused to let him join. He spent the time enjoying her off key humming and tracing a finger along the bite mark on his chest. Paul didn't mind reclining against her headboard and watching her get ready. He loved that she still blushed everytime he caught her not-so-slyly peeking at his still nude form.

"Why do I have to wear a dress? Everything is going to look stupid with this cast anyway," she held up the Barney purple monstrosity. "I can't believe Jake talked me into purple. Alice would throw a fit if she saw how bad this was going to clash with my yellow graduation robes." Paul tried not to flinch at the casual mention of the parasite. Usually if she mentioned the Cullens it was surrounded by anger and profanities. He hoped this meant she was healing. She deserved some sort of closure to move past that chapter of her life. Maybe if they finally killed Laurent she could put them all behind her for good.

She crossed the room to her closet and in a very Bella fashion, she tripped on absolutely nothing. With a loud crack her pinky toe made contact with her desk chair before she caught herself on the door frame of her closet.

"Motherflipping fuck!" she exclaimed, hopping up to hold her foot in her good hand. Paul was out of bed and behind her in an instant to make sure she didn't fall from bouncing around on one foot. "Why couldn't your wolf slobber magically make me coordinated too?"

Right before their very eyes, the angry looking purple toe faded back to her normal ivory hue. Ever since the mark, Bella had adopted the healing abilities of the wolves. It came in handy with her accident prone nature, but didn't get her out of having to wear her plaster cast for another two weeks.

"I'll kiss it better," Paul offered with a chuckle from behind her. He couldn't help himself from pulling her into a hug. That cute little pout worked on him every time.

"Keep your foot fetish to yourself, weirdo," she teased, the words muffled into his chest. She pushed him away so she could look up to his face with a scowl. "And everytime that healing thing happens I'm reminded that I'm mad at you for this." She smacked the hard plaster cast against his bicep for emphasis. "If you hadn't told Charlie it was ever broken in the first place, I wouldn't have to wear this!"

Paul didn't bother defending himself. They had already had this conversation a million times. Nobody knew she would heal almost as fast as the wolves so the boys had been as honest as they could be when Charlie called to ask why someone had told him Bella was in the hospital. Small towns had the unfortunate ability to spread gossip at the speed of light. Paul had told Charlie about her wrist, giving a fake yet believable story about Bella tripping over her own shoelaces.

The bruising was already gone by the time they got to the hospital. By the time it was x-rayed, it was barely a hairline fracture. It was probably completely healed by the time she was home again with a brand new plaster cast that she swore weighed twenty pounds. Even though she didn't feel as much as a twinge of pain, she was stuck in the cast for the minimum of six weeks to keep up appearances. Every square inch of the purple monstrosity was covered in signatures from the pack. Bella's favorite was the one that got her the most awkward glances from conservative old ladies in the grocery store. Quil's note read in bold letters along the outside of the cast: "NOT A SEX INJURY."

Paul gave her a chaste peck on the lips to silently apologize yet again before turning her back to her closet so she could continue getting packed and ready. He had to leave for patrol and Jake would be here soon to pick her up. He was taking her to Emily's where she was planning on spending the day and doing a girls night before graduation tomorrow. This was the scheme Paul and Charlie had come up with in order to get Bella away from her truck for the day. The plan was to get a new radio and speaker system installed as a graduation gift.

For being such a good cop, Charlie was terrible with deception when it came to his daughter. He told Bella he was getting the oil changed. She had asked why Jake couldn't just do that and when Charlie stuttered and stammered, looking for a reasonable explanation, she knew he was hiding something. Trusting her father, she played along and agreed to accept the ride from Jake.

Paul still hadn't found a new job after losing the construction gig the day Laurent showed up. Money was real tight, but her father had insisted that all Paul had to do was distract her for the day and Charlie would get the new radio. Of course, Paul felt like a useless piece of shit, unable to provide for his imprint like she deserved. He still got his pack stipend from the council for his "security" job, but he needed to figure out a real way to support his girl.

The tell-tale rumble of the Rabbit down the street started the countdown timer until Bella would have to leave. It always hurt to see her walk away—less when she was accompanied by his Alpha who he trusted, but it still sucked. Human ears wouldn't be able to perceive that eyesore until it pulled into the driveway and Paul was going to soak up every last second of her presence.

He watched her pack what was supposed to be an overnight bag, but Paul would have guessed she was leaving for a month-long safari, traveling through multiple climate differences. It was June, why was she packing wool socks and.. Was that a candle? Geez, women were weird. She wasn't even packing snacks. If Paul was going somewhere overnight he would just bring a bag of food, not the supplies needed to survive a nuclear attack. Or maybe summon a demon? What the hell was the candle for?

Seemingly done, Bella turned back to Paul with a smile that looked fake as hell. As sick as it was, part of him hoped that leaving him hurt her just as bad as it hurt him. Sometimes he couldn't believe this perfect, crazy angel loved him too. He was such a pussy, he would see her after his patrol shift. He was running with Sam today. They probably wouldn't talk much. When they patroled together they usually just kept to themselves and tried not to accidentally think anything too weird. Paul was going to try and memorize every freckle and pore in the meantime.

"All ready," Bella said, breaking their staring contest. "I tend to overpack. I get anxious if I don't feel prepared."

"You make being neurotic cute, Princess." Paul rose from the bed and couldn't keep his hands to himself any longer. "But a candle? Really?" Bella scoffed and explained as if her answer was the most logical thing in the world.

"What if the power goes out? What if I wake up in the middle of the night and want to read but can't turn the lights on?" She licked her lips before continuing. Paul's eyes tracked the movement like a predator, no longer listening to her insane reasoning for packing half of her room for an overnighter. He cut her off with a kiss and a hand dipping under her hair to cup the back of her neck with the utmost care. Jake was walking up the gravel driveway with crunching steps and Paul did not want to say goodbye. 

With that eerie timing that drove Bella insane, Paul broke the kiss to announce "Jake's here" seconds before the obnoxious doorbell clanged through the house.

They made their way downstairs, Bella's overstuffed duffel slung over Paul's shoulder like it was full of bubble wrap and not a stack of books. Obviously she needed options. What if she just wasn't in the mood for Wuthering Heights? Paul hadn't bothered to hide his laugh at that one.

Charlie and Jake were catching up when the couple had entered the kitchen. Small talk and smiles came so easily for Jake. He was going to make a great Chief.

Paul's step faltered when he realized he had just  _ complimented _ Jacob Black.  _ Sincerely _ . Ugh, might as well go buy some tampons for his new vagina. He kissed his mate on the cheek and used the excuse of putting her bag in the car to get away from his sunny Alpha.

Chief Swan watched Paul cross the lawn through the kitchen window. The boy had really grown on him. Not many kids that came from that kind of background turned out so well put together, but Charlie could tell that the young man had something fierce bubbling under the surface. In the months that he had spent with Bells, Paul had never given Charlie's keen eye a reason to doubt him. As long as Paul continued to treat his little girl so well, he'd give him the benefit of the doubt. He watched the kid slam the trunk of the Rabbit with a little more enthusiasm than necessary. Charlie chucked when he swore he saw Jake flinch at the sound.

"Wow," Charlie mused with a twitch of his mustache. "I'm surprised you haven't gotten your baby fixed yet, Jake." The older man could see the dent in the front side panel next to where Paul was not too patiently waiting. He led the group out onto the front porch to get things moving. He needed to leave soon to make it to Port Ange in time for his appointment at the shop and Charlie didn't want Bella seeing him taking the truck.

"It still runs just fine so I'm in no rush," Jake explained. He nodded across the front yard to indicate his packmate, "That lug took more damage than the car." Paul hated the excuse Quil had given the night he lost it and Bella had to race out of here. He shrugged noncommittally at Jake's barb, hoping the subject dropped.

"See you tomorrow, Dad." Bella reached up on tip toes to give her father a peck on the cheek before climbing into the front seat where Paul was holding the door open for her.

Feeling a little thrown off by the uncharacteristic show of affection and uncomfortable with the way Paul watched his daughter get into the car, Charlie mumbled a goodbye with an awkward wave. Jake clapped a hand on the older man's shoulder on his way back out the door and crunched down the gravel drive to the other side of the car. Man, Charlie couldn't believe how strong that kid was. He hated to admit how small he felt around the hulking men Bella kept company with these days. He could use some young men like that on the force.

When Charlie stepped back into the house with another awkward wave, Paul was happy he didn't have to act out the facade of getting in the car with them for Charlie's benefit. He leaned in Bella's open window to give her one last kiss. Or five.

Jake finally had to speak up before Paul got the other half of himself in the window too. He threatened in a sing-song voice, "Your afternoon patrol starts any minute now, Paul. Don't make me tell Leah you were late."

Breaking the slobbery and gratuitous goodbye kiss with a wet pop, Bella turned to ask through a laugh, "Aren't you supposed to be Alpha too?"

"We all know which Alpha has the balls," Paul quipped before giving his mate one last kiss.

Jake just shrugged. He didn't feel the need to posture in front of his Beta. Any other wolf would have lost a chunk of fur for that comment, but Jake was in a good mood and Paul wasn't wrong. They all knew who the real leader was.

"Bye, Paul. I love you," Bella smiled up at him after buckling her seatbelt into place. She knew Jake wouldn't even shift out of park until she did.

"Love you too, Princess." Paul leaned in the window one last time. He couldn't help himself, not when Bella's hair was pulled up into a ponytail, leaving the long column of her neck exposed. She practically reeked of him, but he couldn't fight the need to place his claim one last time in front of Jake. Especially in this dumb car that reminded Paul of his imprint's disasterous first and only date with her best friend. Paul licked a wet path all the way from her collarbone and up her throat to that spot behind her ear that made her squirm.

Bella squealed his name with a giggle, landing a slap to Paul's chest before he backed out of the window. Both wolves loved seeing smiles that big on her face. The light in her eyes had never been brighter. She deserved happiness. Paul promised at that moment that he would do everything in his power to keep her happy until the day he died.

"Wow, you're really turning into a girl, Bells," Jake laughed, backing the car down the driveway before the sickening couple started necking again. "Or are you turning into a wolf? I have no idea how Charlie didn't notice that giant bite mark on Paul's chest." Bella turned a shade of red that had Jake concerned about her blood pressure. She turned back to Paul just in time for the cocky wolf to shoot his girl one last wink and jog back a few steps before turning to break into a run toward the trees.

Charlie wondered from his spot at the kitchen window why the hell that boy was running barefoot into the forest.

_ You were almost late, Paul. I was about to go tell Leah. _

_ Oh, shut it, Sam. Jake already made that joke. And I wasn't even late, ass hat. _

As soon as the thought entered the pack mind, the grandfather clock in the Swan's living room chimed noon. He was cutting it pretty damn close. Technically he was supposed to be at the border of the rez in time to start patrol, not still in Forks and close enough to still hear the weird old-timey clock at Bella's house.

Paul could feel the equivalent of a mental shrug from Sam. He didn't actually care about punctuality and rules, he was just pulling his tail. Sam had gotten pretty laid back since he stepped down in rank. He did his duties, he ran patrol, and he didn't miss his responsibilities one bit. All Sam cared about these days was Emily and the future he was building with her.

All of the wolves tried their best to keep out of each other's heads when they were phased together. It wasn't fool proof, but for the most part they could tune out the background noise unless the other pack member wanted to be heard. Like now, Paul could feel the general current of Sam's thoughts, but not specifics. Sam was planning for the millionth time the perfect way to propose. He had been thinking about it for months, but none of his ideas were deemed good enough. The rest of the pack knew that Sam could ask her in a dumpster, dressed as a circus clown and she would still say 'yes'.

Paul would propose to Bella under the stars on First Beach.

Whoa. That thought came out of left field. He hadn't really thought about it before, but that was definitely how he would ask if he did. Paul didn't think they were really at that point yet. They had talked about moving in together after graduation and of course they had talked extensively about the whole commitment thing after she freaked out, but marriage specifically had been put on the back burner. He was surprised when Bella had made the comment about wedding rings this morning.

They had so many other things to worry about first. Problem numero uno: Paul didn't even have a job right now.

Paul and Sam began their route along the borders on opposite sides of the rez and talked about what kind of work Paul would be suited for. Sam's suggestions were boring and Paul couldn't think of anything he'd be qualified for with just a high school diploma and superpowers.

Imagine if he put  _ that _ on a resume.

Bella could tell Emily was pretty sick of being surrounded by testosterone fueled boys all of the time. The woman was prepared for every sleepover cliche in the book. She had an afternoon planned of face masks, makeovers, hot wax, and an impressive nail polish collection. Pampering was to be followed by an evening of junk food, chick flicks, and gossip. The only thing that was missing was a slow-motion pillow fight montage. There was even a pink glittery sign on the front door that said "No Boys Allowed" in Emily's curly handwriting.

Jake even made Bella lead the way when they first got to the Uley residence to make sure the sign was a joke. Not even the big, bad Alpha wanted to risk the wrath of their pack momma.

Apparently, the edict taped to the door wasn't in effect just yet. The pack was here to fill the black holes they called stomachs. After the ravenous shifters finished lunch, the boys were to be kicked out or be threatened with torture in the form of tweezers and nail polish.

Bella squeezed into a spot on the table next to where Jake was enthusiastically greeting Leah, tongue first. For a couple that took so long to admit that they even liked each other, they now acted like an old married couple, but hornier. They were always bickering and making up at warp speed. Without an imprint, they weren't as sappy as the other wolves could be with their other halves, but they certainly felt the mating imperative just the same. With Jake graduating from Emily's homeschool program this weekend, Bella could only imagine how those two will spend all of their extra free time now that Jake didn't have two years worth of curriculum crammed into a couple of months.

The other homeschooled wolves weren't rushing through the material like Jake did. The ones that really got the shit end of the stick were Collin and Brady. They were just freshmen when they phased. Once Mr. and Mrs. Littlesea got over the shock of learning that the legends were true, it didn't take much convincing from the Alphas for them to let Collin be homeschooled by Emily.

Mr. Fuller, on the other hand, was on the side of the council that didn't agree with just about anything the Alpha pair did. Unfortunately, they were letting their petty issues get in the way for what was best for their son. The Fuller's insisted Brady got his full four years of high school the normal way. A fact that he bemoaned and fought every chance he got. He'd be the only wolf still in school for  _ years  _ longer than the other boys. 

Lucky for him, it only took one incident of Brady getting pissed off and barely making it into a school bathroom before phasing for his parents to allow Emily to teach him.

Bella was looking forward to helping Emily homeschool the boys in a more official capacity now that she was done with school herself. She had started looking into what she had to do to become a teacher, hopefully starting with classes at the community college in Port Ange in the fall. She loved her pack and this was how she hoped to contribute. Bella leaned her temple against Jake's warm shoulder and looked over her family.

Embry and Quil were at the far end of the table, sitting so close they might as well be in each other's laps. Collin and Brady were shoveling food down their gullets so fast that Bella was seriously impressed they were managing to breathe between bites. Being new wolves, their appetites were still trying to keep up with their growth spurts. Seth was in the kitchen helping Emily with something. He took every and any excuse to keep to himself around the rest of the pack. Leah missed the sunny smiles from before her brother's phase.

"So what are you ladies doing tonight?" Collin asked Leah, pushing away his third empty plate. The pup had some serious balls on him for joking with his Alpha like this. Brady had a much healthier fear of his superior that Collin seemed to lack. The youngest wolf shrunk back from his place at the table in anticipation for Leah's attack on his pack brother.

"Oh hell no," the Alpha Female said. "I'm not letting one of them within a ten foot radius with their nail polish and face goo." Leah had  _ conveniently  _ scheduled herself the overnight patrol when Paul and Sam got off so that she wouldn't have to get lumped in with the girls.

Emily happily piped up, "I've got all the slumber party essentials. And since you abandoned us, I'll have to tie you down and give you a manicure some other time. I have extra supplies now that it's just Bella and me."

"Since Kim skipped town with her coward of a boyfriend," Quil said what everyone was already thinking. He was still pissed at the missing wolf for ditching his patrol and letting Laurent get through. Nobody had seen Jared or Kim since that day. Their parents said the couple went into Port Ange for the day, but their parents were the only ones worried when Jared and Kim never came home. It was obvious they had both packed bags before leaving. The shoe box Jared called a savings account was no longer in it's spot under the bed. Jared really was terrible at keeping his thoughts to himself in the pack mind.

If Jared even dared to show his face in La Push again, he'd get his ass handed to him. After it had been a week without a word or a whiff of his scent in the breeze, Leah declared him banned from the rez. Even if he came crawling back with his tail between his legs, she wouldn't let him across the border. Nobody had heard him in the pack mind either. Quil liked to speculate that he was dead, but the less angsty wolves agreed that he must be too far away or simply stopped phasing all together.

The worst part was that Kim used to actually be cool. Jared had been close with Paul before the phase, but that relationship was irreparable after the way Jared had treated Paul's imprint. Bella was where the line was drawn. But Kim was a sweet girl. She didn't agree with Jared's bigoted views and had gotten along fine with everyone else once she wasn't afraid of the other wolves. She was Jared's loyal little puppy, following her imprint right into exile.

Bella didn't want to start the evening off with another conversation about how deplorable and traitorous Jared and Kim were. Instead, she brought up everyone's favorite game: Guess the Imprint.

"Next time we'll round up more people to practice my nail art skills on. What other girls do we know? There's that cute girl who works at the grocery store! Maybe we can find someone an imprint?" Bella suggested with a wiggle of her eyebrows to try and force some levity.

Brady jumped on the conversation, taking Bella's suggestion seriously. "Ew, that's my cousin. The hard part is finding someone you're not friggin related to somehow."

Thinking it through, Collin spoke up, "Well the legends say it's about strengthening the wolf gene so Rachel or Rebecca Black would make sense for someone to imprint on. Like gene-wise, y'know?"

Quil scoffed, "Obviously it's not about genes, dumbass. Bella is paler than a leech and I don't know if you noticed, but neither of us can exactly have puppies." He waved a hand indicating himself and his very male imprint.

"Oh  _ helllll _ no." Jake took the bait. Hook, line, and sinker. "Nobody is allowed to imprint on my sisters. The only unimprinted ones are the puppies, and that is just sick. Rach and Becks are 21."

"What about Seth?" Embry suggested with a laugh at his friend's expense. "That's only like a five year difference?"

Calling out to where Seth was hiding in the kitchen still, Embry continued, "Hey Seth, maybe your jailbait ass will marry into rez royalty next time one of them visits."

"Becks is already married, so don't go screwing that up, little brother," Leah called out. "But I wouldn't worry about Rachel either, Sethy. That girl would chew you up and spit you out. The spirits know better. There's a girl out there for you."

Emily brought out a plate of cookies, pushing passed Seth who was frozen in the doorway to the kitchen with his hand clamped over his eyes. Maybe if he just never opened his eyes again, he wouldn't have to imprint on anyone. Ever.

Leah changed the subject to spare her brother further harassment, "Hey if you need bodies for girls night you can always have Quil and Embry."

The wolves in question froze in place. They swore Leah had eyes in the back of her head. They had been caught red-handed trying to sneak out the back door through the kitchen. Everyone here knew that with the night off of patrols, they'd try to leave as early as possible to go grope each other in the woods.

"Yeah Quil," Jake spoke up. "Isn't your mom in town this weekend? Shouldn't you guys go spend some time with her? If you don't give your dicks a break, they're going to fall off."

"She doesn't get here until tomorrow, dickwad," Quil grumbled from behind his mate. They were used to the constant ribbing, especially from their life-long best friend. Jake and Leah joked from a place of love. Leah demonstrated this by kicking anyone else's ass that made fun of them.

Jake was happy for his two best friends and didn't begrudge them trying to make the most of their limited free time together. He just smiled and wrapped an arm around Leah's tense shoulders.

She logically understood they weren't intentionally being insubordinate, but she still felt the sometimes irrational power struggle of her wolf. This wasn't an official pack meeting, but the Alpha in her demanded that they be dismissed by her word and her word alone. Leah was getting sneaky with her pack and her leadership instincts. She was pretty good at tamping down the violent instinct to force submission and slyly replacing repremading teeth with pointless tasks. The older wolves saw right through her thinly veiled banter and understood the implied command to her jovial tone.

"Brady Bunch and I have the borders covered tonight," Leah spoke without turning to face the retreating wolves, "but I want one of you to check in around Forks tonight. I don't care who. You two can play Cock, Paper, Scissors for it."

"It's a wonder she can pry herself off of Jake's dick long enough to do any actual Alpha-ing," Embry whispered to his mate on their way out the door.

"I heard that!" Leah screamed from her spot at the table. God, she hated when they pushed back. It made it infinitely harder to reign in the need to assert her dominance. She didn't want to be the kind of Alpha that led from a place of fear. They already respected her. She felt it in every fiber of her being. But wolves liked to test boundaries and these dumbasses did so by joking with her. So she swallowed the lava boiling in her gut and promised her wolf that she'd get Embry back for that comment later.

Quil stuck his head back in the screen door to try to get in the last word, "Doesn't make it not tru-"

A keening holf cut through the night.

For just a moment, Leah felt relief for the interruption. She didn't want to ruin the boys' night by having to rip into their hide. Their blood price would have to wait. Everyone in the room knew what that call meant. Trouble.

The stillness only lasted a moment.

Like the crack of a whip, the silence was broken by a sudden flurry of movement. Leah barked orders while the pack scrambled out the back door. Seth and Collin were to stay with the girls.

Jake was the first out the door and on four legs flying through the forest towards the distress call. Their biggest security concern was Bells. She was safe on their protected land, so Jake could focus on whatever threat lay ahead. He would have loved to stay long enough to watch Leah guide her pack. He still didn't like when she bossed him around, but  _ hot damn, _ was it sexy.

The council were the only ones these days that thought of Jake as the "default Alpha". If they could just see her in action, there would be no doubt who held the reins.

Leah gave the orders and Jake was her enforcer. Not that she didn't have the muscle to dole out punishments herself, it just hardly ever came to that. They respected Leah. The newer wolves liked to joke around with her, but they'd also be the first bellies on the ground the second shit got serious.

One minute it was bustling and crowded in Emily's home. Wolves were eating ridiculous amounts of food, joking with each other, and acting like the family they are.

The next minute, the only sound echoing through the room was the sink. Seth had been hiding from the imprint conversation by putting himself to work on the dishes. They all ran out of here in such a flash that the gentle sound of water on ceramic was the only noise left echoing through the seemingly cavernous empty kitchen.

Emily and Bella's eyes eventually landed on each other after taking in the ominous void left in the absence of the pack. Bella's own fears were clearly reflected back in the older woman's face. The imprints were left to worry and imagine worst-case scenarios for their wolves. This was Emily's least favorite part of being a wolf girl. Being left behind.

Bella knew just the feeling.

But the pack wasn't the Cullens. They were her family in a much more solid way than the vampires ever were. Her wolves would come back to her. Especially her wolf. Paul would always come back to her as long as his heart beat in his chest.

Bella thought back to the first time the wolves had to leave her behind to respond to a howl from the trees. It was the day of the imprint. So much has changed since then. She actually knew Paul now. They had grown into best friends and lovers over the past..holy shit has it really been six months? She never thought she'd be the kind of girl that was all set to hitch her wagon to some guy she had been dating for  _ six months _ .

But this wasn't some guy. This was Paul. Her soulmate. Predestined by the spirits. She could feel the magic tingling in her bones at just the thought of him. It didn't take seeing her friends turn into wolves for her to believe in magic. All she needed was this feeling in her soul to be convinced that their bond was the stuff of legends.

Patrolling with Sam was usually rather uneventful for Paul. They didn't particularly get along, but they didn't dislike each other either. The only thing they really had in common was an imprint and being some of the first wolves to phase. Now that Jared was gone, Paul was the second oldest wolf. It had been just the three of them for months before Embry phased so they had a kinship that Paul didn't share with all of the other wolves.

That was where the similarities stopped. They had different interests and ambitions. Their imprints were the easiest subject of conversation, especially since the girls had embraced their connection as pack sisters and wolf girls. Bella was helping Emily plan a wedding and Emily was excited to help Bella learn as much as she could about Quileute history.

Bella's determination to be a part of the community was one of the things Sam admired most about the girl. The pack joked about her being a 'hokwat' pale face, but she was more interested in their history than most full-blooded members of the pack.

Paul was just glad that Sam had very sisterly thoughts of Bella, thanks to his own imprint. Some of the other pack members were far too interested or outright lecherous in their passing thoughts about his girl. Paul had left bite marks in quite a few of the younger pack members when he caught them reminiscing fondly on one of Paul’s memories that had slipped into the pack mind. Or even worse, replaying Jacob's memories of Paul's imprint.

_ Speaking of Bella,  _ Sam interrupted Paul's train of thought before the volatile wolf got pissed at one of the pups when they weren't even here.  _ I think I can hear her truck on the highway. It's got a distinct sound. Isn't she supposed to be at my house right now? _

_ It's just Charlie,  _ Paul explained. But he couldn't not check it out, just in case. He changed course to loop back to the stretch of highway that Sam was running along. The wolves couldn't cross major roads during the day, so their patrols were limited to their borders and the forest between La Push and the 101 highway leaving north out of Forks.

Paul's approach brought him from the west to meet where Sam was running north alongside the 101, hidden in the trees. This far back from the road, he could only catch glimpses of the red vehicle. Sam couldn't see clearly enough to confirm that it was indeed Charlie driving.

Paul cut across the rez, making a direct line to where he could see in his mind where Sam was running. This territory was where Sam would have been headed next on their patrol route, so a wolf hadn't been through this section of the rez in nearly half an hour. Paul caught a faint scent that definitely had not been here last time he passed through these parts.

_ Sam, have you caught any leech trails? _

_ Of course not. I would have alerted you right away. _

It was faint, but it was unmistakable. The closer Paul got to where his pack brother was following Bella's truck, the stronger the scent was.

_ Sam, you've got the leech on your six. You're upwind. That fucking bastard must be heading straight for you. _

As Paul got closer, his fury grew in tandem with the cloying stench. He pushed his four legs until his muscles burned. Paul knew that Bella was supposed to be with Jake, safe on the rez, but she wasn't in sight so he could not be sure. The wolf fought against Paul's attempted rationalization. They did not know for certain that their mate was safe and they would kill any threat.

The second he saw the flash of vampire between trees, Paul let up the howl for back up. He called out to Sam,  _ keep her truck in your sight, but be careful. That fucker is coming up behind you. He's probably following the truck the same as us. Maybe he thinks he's going to get his chance when he thinks she's out of our territory. _

_ Paul, you've got to let the wolf take over. Like you did at training. This time you've got a leech to kill instead of Leah. _

Paul had no clue how to relinquish control to his wolf again. Pure rage had triggered the change last time. He wished Leah was here already. She had been able to effortlessly revert to her wolf instincts and ignore the gifted vamp's command. She had gotten his hand last time, now she needed to get his head.

The pack hadn't caught sight of Laurent since the day he turned up in Forks a month ago. Leah's "shield" theory had yet to be tested. Sure, he had been able to hide his thoughts from the pack with more control since the mark, but they hadn't had the chance to test it against Laurent's ability yet. And now the stakes were too high. Even if Bella was safe on the rez,  _ Charlie wasn't. _

Sam and Paul felt Jacob phase in first. Paul was relieved that their Alpha confirmed Bella was indeed on the rez and two of the younger wolves were staying to watch over the imprints. The rest of the pack phased in one at a time, running at top speed toward Paul and Laurent.

They were too far away. None of them would get here in time.

Paul knew the exact moment Laurent caught up with his pack brother and former Alpha. At the leech's command, Sam's determination melted away.

"Forget me."

Paul watched through the pack mind as Sam slowed to a trot and sat down on his haunches. Thankfully Laurent sped right past him, leaving the black wolf uninjured. Paul's relief lasted mere seconds before he felt the compulsion of the words float right over him and echo through the pack mind. Like dominos, the wolves behind him fell off track in order of their physical proximity from the command. One by one the wolves wandered off course.

Except for Leah.

Paul couldn't hear her thoughts, only the determined will and focus of the wolf. The ancient spirit of Kaliso was strong in this state. She was right at home in the chase, fueling power through the pack mind. Paul swore he could hear the drums of their ancestors in every thump of their heartbeats and every pounding step of their paws propelling them through the trees.

He had never felt stronger, more home in this form. He was one with his wolf. For the first time, Paul didn't feel like the wolf and himself were separate entities in his mind. They were one being with one purpose.

Killing vampires.

Paul didn't so much as falter at Laurent's command. Instead he was quickly gaining on the vampire. Paul flew past Sam, still as a statue relaxing under a Sitka spruce tree. He gave up trying to stay in the cover of the trees. Laurent had been weaving away from the thinner patches of foliage in order to stay out of sight until he saw the wolf catching up. A grey wolf had bit off his hand, but that had been a lighter, smaller wolf, right? He couldn't risk the beast catching up before he reached his kill and avenged his fallen coven. Laurent gave up his effort to stay hidden in favor of a direct course for the red truck chugging along the road.

Paul was finally close enough to confirm Charlie was the driver of the vehicle. With the windows up, the scent of the driver had been indiscernible at speed. Paul broke through the trees just in time to see Laurent skid to a stop, digging deep grooves into the asphalt under his marble bare feet. Laurent had made the same assumption, not realizing he had tracked the wrong Swan until he was stopped in the middle of the road, facing down the oncoming vehicle.

Charlie slammed on the brakes at the sight of a man standing in the middle of the road. The truck careened toward the side of the highway with a jerk of the wheel. Paul winced at the high pitch squeal of the old, bald tires. He leaped from the forest and watched in his peripherals as the old Chevy flew off of the shoulder of the road and rolled down the steep embankment.

Once.

Twice.

Revised 10/17/2020


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I realized I messed up Paul's age, but canonically he's the same age as Jake. Which just seems wrong. But in this story I made him a little older than Bella so… my bad. Congrats Paul, you skipped a few years.

This is why Leah thought participating in girl's night was pointless. Did she even count as a girl anymore? The constant dirt beneath her nails from running on four legs made a manicure seem ridiculous. Why bother doing her hair when she'll inevitably phase and ruin it? Her skin was flawless post-phase, so what was the point of a face mask? She never thought she'd begrudge her inability to get a pimple. Hell, she never thought she'd miss her period.

The only time she felt like a woman again was when Jake reminded her of all of the amazing things her feminine body could feel. When he pulled her under his body and reminded her that she could be tender. She could be soft where he was hard. Woman where he was all man.

Now wasn't the time. Leah strained her muscles, focusing on the stretch and burn of each motion until instinct took over. She focused until the frenetic pace of her paws across the mossy forest floor was the only sound in her mind. As her pack brothers succumbed to the leech's command one by one, her wolf zeroed in on their target. Paul's presence in their mental link was just a faint hum in the back of Leah's awareness. The wolf was in control now.

He had worked at controlling his mental shield in the pack mind ever since Leah discovered the side effects of Bella's mark. Paul didn't like when Leah belittled what he felt were superpowers in addition to their already enhanced abilities. Instead of worrying about the possible downsides like his Alpha pair, Paul perfected the raising and lowering of his mental walls.

After a week he could control when he blocked them from his mind. After two, he could easily flip it like a switch. After three weeks, Paul could effortlessly filter only his own thoughts from their shared mental space. He could still hear and see everything his pack sensed, but they wouldn't even know he was phased in and eavesdropping.

Leah was the only wolf that could sense Paul's presence when he blocked everyone else out. Not even Jacob could see through their Beta's shield.

This was the exact situation Leah was concerned about. Paul was facing down a vampire alone and Leah couldn't see or hear a thing from him except the static of his shrouded presence in the pack mind. She loosely followed the Sol Duc River east, jumping over fallen logs and easily leaping bends in the winding river for a more direct course. Leah made short work of the miles between her and her prey.

When even the faint hum of Paul's mind disappeared completely, she feared the worst.

She didn't have time to worry about getting spotted. Paul was chasing a vampire down the fucking 101. There was no way they hadn't blown the secret already. She followed her nose along Laurent's path through the trees. She was close enough to the highway to see the people in each car she overtook. There's no way they were making it through the day without ending up at Area 51 in the cage next to E.T. with some creepy dude taking notes on a clipboard.

If she was lucky, Paul caught up with Laurent before either of them made it to the road. But Leah had shitty luck—just look at the rest of her life. The only good thing that had happened to her in the past couple of years was Jake and he was off chasing butterflies somewhere. Good thing he was an adorable idiot. She couldn't even be mad at him because at least this way he was safe.

Right now, Paul and Leah were a pack of two.

Actually, she might be alone here. Paul was completely absent from the pack mind, much to her concern, and Leah wasn't even in full control of herself at the moment. Her wolf took the reigns the second she realized there was a very real threat to face down. As soon as she phased in, Sam filled everyone in on the situation with Charlie and Laurent. At least this time she felt like one of her hands was also on the wheel. The incident where she got the leech's hand was back when she first phased. That was months ago and she had a much better handle on her wolf and it's instincts now.

As the thought crossed her mind, her feet carried her out of the trees and closer to the road a second before her mind processed the change in the trail. Laurent had run onto the highway here. He was nowhere in sight, but the deep grooves in the road confirmed what her nose already knew.

No Paul. No truck. No Charlie.

And no leech.

XXXXXXXXX

Laurent had relied on the direction of the wind to sneak up on Sam, but his advantage had also been his downfall. The vampire had been so focused on his target, he failed to notice just how close the wolf who could evade his order had gotten.

The disappointment on Laurent's face from realizing his failed mission had only a millisecond to morph into fear before Paul's jaws clamped around the vampire's head. The momentum of Paul's jump dragged both him and the vampire tumbling down the other side of the road right after Charlie's truck. They crashed through underbrush and flattened anything in their path.

With scrambling paws under him, Paul skidded to a stop with his jaws still holding the leech firm. Laurent only managed two glancing blows to Paul's muzzle before the wolf clamped down hard enough to crush the leech’s skull between his teeth. Paul was disgusted when even headless, the demon thrashed around underneath the weight of the paw pinning it to the ground.

The taste in his mouth set free something utterly primal. It had been months since they had taken down the red-headed leech and the taste of the enemy on his tongue was supremely satisfying to the animal that shared Paul's soul.

Tearing limb from limb, the vampire finally stopped fighting back when there were no pieces big enough to recognize that this creature was once a human being. The marble flesh crumbled in his jaws and limbs slashed to ribbons under his claws. He was feral. Wild. Savage.

_ Paul. _

Leah's voice didn't filter through the determination of the wolf. She couldn't see his human mind buried deep underneath the protective rage of a wolf defending its imprint. An animal protecting its mate.

** _Paul._ **

A direct command wasn't necessary. The implication was enough. Paul's vision slowly faded from black into red and finally into his human awareness once again. His wolf was reveling in the destruction of it's enemy, but the sight of granite flesh littered all around him and under his paws made his stomach turn. There wasn't a piece left larger than an apple. A small apple.

Paul tried to back away from the carnage, but to his horror there was nowhere to step without feeling the smaller pieces of vamp squish between the pads of his feet. They were supposed to be rock hard, so what was wet? Laurent's last victim's rotting blood oozed out of the vampire's remaining flesh like stepping on a wet sponge.

The sick satisfaction he felt from his wolf was almost as sickening as the smell. Maybe if he phased back, it wouldn't be as strong. He needed to get away. Away from the stench that he was certain would never completely wash off of his skin.

Paul swayed on his paws, trying to remember his human skin. He couldn't remember being anything but the monster that had destroyed a once living creature with its teeth. It wasn't compassion he felt for the vampire. It was disgust for everything in this life that was supposed to stay in fairytales and nightmares. Paul wanted to help people. He wanted to protect others from monsters like his father, but was he any better?

He was a protector, but this  _ thing _ had almost killed Charlie. Had killed countless people before today. Paul could smell the blood of Laurent's past meals mixed with the stoney flesh. Nobody had protected those people.

He couldn't draw air into his lungs quick enough.

Leah could feel her Beta losing control quickly. He was swiftly falling into panic and straight through into full blown hysteria. She couldn't remember her first aid course, but she was pretty sure he was going into shock.

** _PAUL. _ ** _ Start a fire. You shredded him into confetti, but the job isn't done until he's ash. Focus. _

At his Alpha's direction, Paul could at least focus his panic toward a task. He could do this. He was glad the other wolves were still zoned out so only Leah was here to witness his complete meltdown. He was supposed to be the pack's best fighter and most ferocious wolf. Here he was shaking like a leaf in the wind at a little gore.

Killing the redhead had been nothing compared to this. They ripped her into a couple of pieces and lit her on fire while she was still screaming threats. Paul looked around him and the only recognizable body part was a fingertip and a couple of scattered chunks of hair.

Burn it. He needed to burn it. He looked back to his hind leg for the lighter he kept in his shorts only to find a loose leather strap where his shorts were supposed to be. Fuck, he was a useless protector. He didn't even have a way to finish his kill.

Before he could make himself feel worse than he already did, Leah cut off his train of thought.

_ You really think our ancestors carried around bic lighters? How do you think Ephraim Black or Kaliso burned vamps? _

She knew he was feeling a little better when Paul's only response was a goofy mental image of his wolf paws failing to flick open a zippo. Leah swiped her extended claws along a slab of exposed chert rock in the ground. Sparks flew in the wake of her paw, instantly lighting flame to the closest pieces of the highly flammable remains that Paul had left in place of Laurent. She explained when Paul's only response was awe and confusion.

_ Chert is a type of sedimentary rock commonly found in this region. It's used to make flints and fire starters. Our people used it for centuries before howkats invented zippos. _

Paul didn't have words. He was still frozen on four paws watching the purple-tinted flames and musing once again how much better off the pack was with Leah at the helm. The overwhelming respect and near reverence Paul felt made the Alpha uncomfortable.

_ I'll make sure this is cleaned up before I go roundup our mutts. Get Charlie. _

Paul didn't need to be told twice. He wasn't proud of his desperation to get away from the crime scene. Now that the threat to his mate was eliminated, there was room in his brain for everything else. As much as he had come to love Charlie, nothing would outrank the safety of his Princess.

When Paul had launched himself across the highway, he was sure there had been witnesses. The only bit of luck in this situation was that this stretch of the road was only a two lane highway. At noon on a Friday, traffic consisted of a handful of cars and the occasional trucker making their way north. Someone must have seen the giant animal leap onto the road and drag a person off by their head. Someone certainly had to have seen the old Chevy roll off the road.

So why did nobody stop? Paul hoped one of the careless drivers at least called 911 to report the accident. Someone needed to come help Charlie. Paul couldn't bear to think about the man that had become a father figure to him right now.

He followed the path of destruction back to the vehicle. Just as Leah said, Charlie's heartbeat was strong and his breathing was steady. He must be unconscious. As Paul approached the overturned truck he phased and pulled shorts on. If Charlie was okay, he would definitely have a heart attack if the first thing he saw after the accident was a very naked Paul.

Charlie was hanging limply by his seat belt in the cab of the truck. If his heartbeat wasn't clearly audible to supernatural ears, Paul would have assumed he was dead. All of the windows were broken and there was blood everywhere, including splatter on the steering wheel. The easiest way to get Charlie out was getting the truck upright again before anyone else was here to witness Paul single-handedly flip a two ton vehicle.

Getting a firm grip, Paul got the truck onto its side in one movement and back onto it's tires in another. A pained groan from the vehicle made Paul second guess his decision to right the truck before getting Charlie out. He ran back around to the driver's side to find Charlie slowly regaining consciousness.

"Sir? Sir, are you okay?" Paul tried to tell where the bleeding was coming from, but half of the man's face was a bruised and swollen mess. He tried to open the door, but instead just ripped the hinges right off when the damaged frame wouldn't budge. Charlie groaned again when he tried to reach for his seatbelt. Paul helped unbuckle him when he still hadn't spoken.

A sharp whistle startled Paul and he nearly phased from all of the adrenaline still pumping through his system. Leah caught his attention with a wave and spoke in a voice too low for Charlie to hear.

"An ambulance is coming, you just need to get him back up to the road. The leech has been taken care of. I'll call to have someone bring Bella to meet you at the hospital." She was gone in a flash before Paul could even open his mouth. His eyes snapped back to a confused Chief Swan.

"Paul? What the hell are you doing out here? What happened to that man on the road?" He held his head in his hands and winced when he touched a cut on his forehead.

Paul ignored all of the Chief's questions and followed orders instead. "We gotta get you back up to the road, sir." He leaned forward with the intention of lifting Charlie from the vehicle, but even in his state, the man had his pride.

"Get your damn hands off me, son." Stubbornly Charlie pushed passed the younger man and tried to stand from the vehicle. "I could have sworn this thing was upside down..." he trailed off, glazing over the obvious damage to the sides and roof of the vehicle. Paul once again ignored the man and supported nearly his full weight when Charlie stumbled almost immediately. Paul looked back to the Chevy one last time before turning toward the road with Charlie's good arm wrapped around Paul's shoulders to help him walk.

"Um," Paul stammered, trying to think of an explanation better than that crazy video on the internet where a mom lifts the car to save her baby. "It rolled, yeah, but you landed upright."

"Old truck is so sturdy, it practically has a built-in roll cage. Should probably thank Jake for fixin' this thing up proper," Charlie mused more to himself than to Paul.

Paul was too lost in his thoughts to register the words anyway. That could have been Bella. She was usually the one driving this awful thing and that could have been her rolling off of the road. She was just a human. A fragile, breakable human and Paul could lose her at the drop of a hat. No matter how strong he was or how good of a protector he was, he could still lose her in a number of different ways. People die from non-vampire related accidents every day.

What was the point in delaying or waiting for something if his world could be taken away by a freak accident. What was he doing sneaking around with Bella when he should be making the most of every day they had. She had vaguely talked about moving in with him sometime this summer and they had mentioned their future together in broad terms.

Seeing her truck bloodied and flipped on the side of the 101 set Paul into action. He settled Charlie leaning against the trunk of a tree by the shoulder of the road to wait for the ambulance. His brain to mouth filter must have been forgotten in the trauma of the day, because Paul blurted out what he was thinking before he realized this probably wasn't the best time for such a conversation.

"I want to marry Bella."

If someone had told Paul a year ago that he'd be considering marriage when he was barely out of his teen years, he would have laughed in their face. But now, he couldn't imagine a world where Bella Swan wasn't the center of his universe. Even in his state, Charlie wasn't surprised at all. The man was rather astute, even when minorly concussed.

"Having a realization about the fragility of human life, are we?" Charlie winced when he turned to try to get a better look at the man asking for his daughter's hand. Paul wanted to apologize for his poor timing and before he could backtrack and offer to discuss this another time, Charlie continued, "Isn't that a little different when you're not quite human?"

Paul swore at that moment his heart stopped.

"You're not so much as looking at my daughter again until I know the truth," Charlie squared his shoulders with determination and a wince, managing to make Paul feel like a child for the first time in years. Maybe ever. "What's going on, Paul? I deserve some answers."

The silence stretched out between them. When Charlie didn't back down or falter, Paul's resolve crumbled. It had been such an emotionally exhausting afternoon and he just couldn't do it anymore.

Paul told him everything. Wolves, vampires, and legends. He wanted to get it all out before the ambulance arrived. The last thing he needed was a couple of paramedics thinking he was crazy while they tend to Charlie. He finally heard the sirens approaching and knew their time was up. It would be a while before they were alone to speak freely again.

"Any questions before the ambulance gets here?"

Charlie debated asking to see his wolf form, but he didn't need proof. This story was too insane for Paul to be yanking his chain. He had plenty of questions for Billy to answer, but only one that he needed to ask Paul. "What's my daughter got to do with this?"

Paul didn't know how to answer that question in terms that a father might like. He had no ill-intentions for Bella, but the idea that a monster was eternally committed to his teenage daughter might be a little daunting to an overprotective parent like Chief Swan.

"Everything. She's everything," Paul spoke with such reverence, looking straight into the older man's eyes hoping to convey how deeply he truly meant those words. Bella was his world. The sun, the moon, the and stars.

Charlie knew there was more to it. He knew something about their relationship was just as unnatural as the other form Paul took. But it wasn't the boy's answer that confirmed what Charlie already knew. It was the way Paul looked at his baby girl every time he saw them together.

Charlie didn't speak to Paul again while they loaded him into the ambulance. Not while they drove to Forks General Hospital. Not while he got admitted into the ER. Not while a nurse shoved a scrub top at Paul’s naked chest. Not while they rolled Charlie all around the hospital from different types of imaging to exam rooms. Paul followed wherever the nurses would allow him to tag along. Bella wasn't here yet, but it was a much longer drive from the rez. Paul wanted to be able to give her the most recent information on her father's status when she got here.

A friendly nurse finally wheeled Charlie into a surprisingly luxurious private suite to wait for the doctors to review his various x-rays and scans. Paul mused that it must be nice being such a prominent member of the community as he sunk into an uncomfortable chair by the door. He wasn't sure if Charlie wanted him here still or if he should just go wait for Bella out front. They still hadn't spoken a word to each other.

Paul feared the worst. Charlie was going to forbid him from ever seeing his daughter again. Could he blame him? Paul would never be good enough for Bella. He didn't have a job right now and what could he do as a wolf anyway? Paul had nothing to offer but poverty, a short temper, and worst of all, his despicable selfishness for wanting her anyway. He couldn't give her up, even for her own good, and that was what he hated himself the most for.

Just as Paul was about to make an excuse to escape the uncomfortable silence, Charlie shifted on the bed with a wince before speaking.

"I want you to come work for me."

Paul dropped back into the seat, his jaw hanging slack and a crease forming between his brows while he tried to process the possible meaning of that statement.

"Wha-"

"At the station," Charlie cut him off before the boy could sound any dumber than he looked. "You've got a little longer before you're old enough to actually go through the academy and become a cadet, but you've only got a couple months before you're 20 and a half, right?"

Paul could only nod.

"From what you described of your extra senses, we could use that kind of manpower on the force. And if those  _ animal attacks _ were really vampires," Charlie trailed off, shaking his head. He was still trying to wrap his mind around all of the secrets in the world around him. "We need to be better prepared for the kind of danger we're facing. I'd like to have a protector working for my side."

Charlie sat up more in his hospital bed to try to gain a little intimidation factor. Jabbing a finger towards Paul, he spoke again with hardened words, "And you, young man, need a real job if you're going to support my baby girl. If you want to marry her, you will take care of her."

"Yes, sir," Paul promised with every fiber of his being. "For the rest of my life."

Paul could hear a nurse directing another visitor to their room. He could feel the other half of his heart approaching before he heard her familiar heartbeat or could smell her delectable scent. The nurse began to open the door, but Bella burst through impatiently. Emily had driven her over as soon as Leah called with the good news about Laurent and the bad news about Charlie.

"Dad!" She nearly jumped to wrap her arms around him, but Paul was quick to hold her back. Too quick. Charlie was so pumped full of pain killers that he probably wouldn't have minded, but he was still sharp enough to notice how Paul moved so fast that his form blurred. The nurse had already left again, so Charlie spoke freely.

"I'm fine Bells. The doctor hasn't told me exactly what's broken yet, but they x-rayed and scanned just about every bit of me. I'd say you can thank your werewolf for getting me out of the truck, but I'm gonna blame this dingus for my concussion. I saw you flip that truck just as much as I felt it." Charlie rubbed the back of his head with the hand not confined to a sling.

It was Bella's turn to go into shock.

"Yeah, Princess," Paul stage whispered in her ear. "Secret's out."

Bella didn't have time to process the information. A doctor had entered the room to explain Charlie's injuries and the recovery plan. Bella vaguely heard about her father's dislocated shoulder and broken collar bone from the seat belt, a minor concussion, and a few stitches in his forehead where it split open on impact with the steering wheel. Her mind was too preoccupied cataloging all of the things Charlie would know about if he knew the truth. The full truth.

Her vampire ex-boyfriend. The trip to Phoenix and her subsequent injuries. Jake and the other wolves. The imprint. Billy lying to his best friend for years. The deaths Charlie couldn't explain. The real reason she was so withdrawn after Edward broke up with her. Her withdrawal.

She never got the chance to ask questions. There was always a nurse or doctor in the room, checking a machine or poking and prodding Charlie. Billy was going to be mad at her. Charlie was going to be mad at her. Charlie was going to be mad at Billy!

Bella reluctantly stumbled along when Jake showed up to take her home. Charlie was to stay the night to monitor his concussion, but he insisted Bella got some sleep in a real bed. Paul and Leah were going to take care of the truck because they already knew where it was. Even the loss of her beloved truck got pushed to the back burner in Bella’s anxious state. Maybe Charlie didn't know about all of it. Jake, Quil, Edward. Maybe he just knew about Paul. And her father still seemed fine with Paul being around her. Her shoulders finally relaxed at that realization. He wasn't going to demand that she ended things with Paul and if that piece of her life was intact, everything else was going to be okay.

She felt more like herself by the time Jake pulled into her driveway and opened the passenger door of the Rabbit for her.

"Charlie is fine, Bells," Jake reassured her. He guided her into the house and to a chair at the kitchen table before he began to dig through the fridge for leftovers. "Laurent is dead and unless you've got more vampires after you, it's over. You're safe."

"You're right," Bella slumped forward, thumping her forehead into the table. "I'm still processing this. I don't do well with change, you know. I'm relieved about Laurent, but Charlie knowing the secret is kind of ominous. And I feel bad about girl's night with Emily getting ruined."

"It's good that your dad knows. No more lies. And Emily understands about girl's night. Don't feel bad."

"Sure, sure," Bella pushed herself out of the chair and wandered to the stairs. "I need a shower. I can process in the shower."

She paused on the first step, turning back to her best friend.

"It's really over?"

"Yeah, Bells," he spoke through the biggest smile she'd seen on Jake's face in a long time. "It's really over."

It had been a long month since Bella found out Laurent was after her. She took every opportunity to berate the pack for keeping secrets from her. Quil was more blatant about his guard dog duties now that he didn't have to be sneaky. She knew they just wanted her safe so she didn't hold it against him. She had been spending as much time as possible on the rez to make their job as easy as possible. Jake hoped she still hung out at Emily's now that the threat was gone. Bella had become an integral part of their little furry family.

By the time Jake heard the shower turn on upstairs, he had already finished a tupperware of some kind of stir-fry leftovers. He found some peanut butter and jelly, but was still looking for bread when the phone rang.

"Swan residence," Jake answered.

Paul's gruff voice confirmed the truck was being taken care of and any traces of the vamp were clear. He could hear Quil and Seth arguing about how to get it hooked onto the tow truck in the background. Quil's cousin had a garage and let him borrow the truck. Phone calls around the pack were difficult when everyone has extrasensory hearing. It was like being on speakerphone with a bunch of sugar-high toddlers. Before Jake could get a word in, Paul launched into a rambling speech about how the Chevy wasn't safe enough. Bella needed something with modern airbags and seat belts from this century.

While the Alpha agreed, he tried not to take it personally considering this was the truck he had rebuilt for Bella himself. He understood the lupine imperative to protect in every way possible. Leah spoke from the background, confirming patrols were covered and that Jake should stay with Bella.

Finally able to get a word in, Jake joked, "I'm surprised you don't want to come violate my best friend at your first opportunity, Paul." He held the phone up with the shoulder and began to assemble peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. He could easily have finished off whatever was in the fridge, but Charlie might need to eat when he gets home from the hospital.

"I uhh…" Paul uncharacteristically stammered. "I've got a thing to take care of."

Jake contemplated if Alpha commands would work over the phone, but Leah had apparently already worked an explanation out of their beta. She teased in a sing-song voice, "Paulie wants to go buy his girl a diamond!"

"What, really?" Jake wasn't surprised that this was going to happen. It was inevitable with the imprint, but Jake knew how Bella had felt about marriage in the past. But he trusted Paul to know what his imprint was ready for. It stung that Paul knew Bella better than Jake did these days. He'd never admit that he was jealous of Paul Lahote, but Jake missed his best friend.

Leah could be heard breaking up an escalating fight between Quil and Seth. Even when she was reprimanding pups, she sounded sexy. His mate's voice over the phone reminded Jake that both him and Bella had new best friends now. They would always have each other, but Leah was his everything now. Just as Paul was Bella's everything. They supported each other in new and arguably better ways now. They were pack. They were family.

"Yeah, man. Life's too short," Jake could hear the smile in Paul's voice. "I gotta make her mine. I still have my grandmother's ring. It just needs a good cleaning and to be sized. There's a jeweler on the rez that I'm going to take it to. Any chance you know Bella's ring size?"

"Small?" Jake guessed. "I didn't even know rings come in sizes."

Seth called from the background, "Leah's ring size is five and a half! She made sure I knew that." The smacking sound that followed was most likely Leah telling Seth to shut up. Tucking that information away for later, Jake was just happy to hear the kid joking around again. They were all breathing a little easier now that the freaky gifted leech was gone.

"Good luck, Paul," Jake nearly yelled into the phone to make sure to be heard over the siblings bickering and Paul's rambling, frantic questions about Bella's ring. He hung up the phone before Paul could squeeze another word in.

Taking a deep sigh, Jake sunk into a chair at the kitchen table and pulled his comically large plate of sandwiches in front of him. He could still hear the shower running upstairs and if he strained his hearing, he could hear Bella's wonderfully relaxed heartbeat under the sound of the water running.

Just when he lifted his first sandwich, he froze half way to his mouth when the phone rang again. If Paul couldn't figure out his own damn ring, maybe he wasn't ready to get engaged. Slapping the sandwich back to the plate and stalking to the phone hanging on the wall, Jake growled into the device, "What now?"

"Chief Swan?"

Jacob Black had only had the displeasure of meeting Edward Cullen on exactly one occasion. On an errand for his father, Jake had crashed Bella's disastrous misadventure of a prom night at Forks High the year before. He hadn't phased yet, so he was unaware of the demon he had spoken to at the time. But now? Now Jake would recognize the sickeningly musical lilt for what it really was. He hoped to never again hear that frigid prick's voice.

"He's still at the hospital," he informed the leech in a clipped tone. Jake didn't owe this asshole anything and he wasn't about to let him talk to Bella. Jake was certain she wouldn't want to talk to him. Not to say anything civil, anyway. He would just hang up, but he needed to make sure Edward stayed away.

"So it's true?" The vampire spoke in a low breathy tone like the words were physically paining him to speak. "Alice saw that awful vehicle upside down on the side of the road. I saw the vision. I saw her blood. That was the first vision of Bella in a month and now it's back to... to nothing again. Is Bella.. Is she?"

Carefully choosing to answer the first question and not the implied second, Jacob only said one word, "Yes."

The psychic vamp must have only seen the vehicle, not the driver and made some big assumptions. He had said a month. The timeline was too specific to be a coincidence. Alice's visions must be affected by the mark. Damn, that was some freaky powerful magic. The tribe should really know more about that. Maybe if Jake let Edward assume the worst, he'd have no reason to come back and disturb Bella's newfound peace and quiet. She deserved some peace.

Edward snarled, "I  _ told _ her to be safe. I told her to do nothing reckless."

Jake scoffed at the presumptuous bastard. If he really cared about Bella's safety, he wouldn't have left her in the forest full of supposedly dangerous shape-shifters with a blood-thirsty coven seeking revenge hot on her trail. Now the leech was angry at her for supposedly dying? Like it had been her fault if she had gotten into a car accident? What a dick.

"Leave Charlie alone, bloodsucker. He's got enough to deal with right now as it is." It wasn't a lie.

"No. She cannot be. She cannot be dead." The vampire sounded angry more than upset. Like his words and will alone would make it not true. This jackass really had a complex.

Jake just hung up the phone without confirming or denying anything. If Edward had nothing to come back to in Forks then he would stay away. He would leave Bella alone to live her human life like he never existed. Just like he promised.

He would tell her about the call, just not today. Bella didn't deserve more secrets or lies from her pack, but as an Alpha wolf, Jake couldn't stand to let another vampire fuck up her peace of mind. Tomorrow was a celebration of Bella's accomplishments as a normal teenager. Graduating high school wasn't monumental in the grand scheme of things, but in their reality—in a world of monsters—they were all overdue for some normal life as a teenager. Jake was just happy his childhood best friend was still alive and human to receive her diploma tomorrow.

Bella had always wanted a big family. She didn't remember anything from when her parents were still together and from then on, it was Reene and Bella against the world. She wasn't surprised when Renee couldn't make it out to see her graduate, but she had learned to keep her expectations low to avoid disappointment. That was the sad reality of having to be the parent in their relationship.

Occasionally she got to visit Charlie and play pretend. His group of friends in La Push were closer than most families and Bella was supremely jealous growing up. It was hard to make friends when you moved every couple of years, but La Push had always been her constant. It was where she felt at most home during the couple weeks of peace she spent with Charlie. Fishing with Billy or playing with Jake, La Push was more of a home than any of the states she had lived in with Reene.

Bella used to feel like the most average girl in the world. Normally she'd feel right at home blending into the sea of anonymous yellow graduation robes, no different or more special than the next girl. Thanks to her bright purple cast, she stood out like a sore thumb. For probably the first time in her life, she was okay with that. She didn't feel awkward or different, she felt special. And not because she found a boy that fixed all of her problems, but because she had people around her that loved her and supported her while she figured out how to fix her own problems.

Well, she couldn't exactly kill Laurent herself, so the credit for fixing that problem was definitely due to the wolves. But she had come back from a devastating break up and built a much healthier life around her new family. A real family. Not a coven of vampires that played house.

While she waited for her name to be called, Bella turned in her chair and craned her neck. She didn't have to look very long to find her cheerleaders in the crowded gymnasium. Her eyes locked like magnets to the deep brown depths of Paul's eyes. He smiled back at her so big and full of pride that his eyes crinkled at the edges and his cheeks dimpled. God, she loved him. Paul shot her a wink, melting her insides like only he could.

He had been the glue holding her together for months, but it was her turn to hold him together. She wasn't sure yet what exactly happened the day before. Paul wasn't ready to talk about it, but something had shaken him to his core when he took down Laurent. When he was ready, he would share his burden with her and they would work through it together. Bella was pretty sure something had also happened between Paul and her father before she made it to the hospital, but neither of them had said anything to her about it yet. Charlie knew about the wolves, but he must be okay with it if he was willingly sitting amongst the pack.

When Bella and Paul had picked up Charlie from the hospital that morning, she could tell something had changed. Paul had always been very respectful of the Chief, but now Paul was more relaxed than ever around the older man. They chatted amicably around the kitchen table with Quil while Bella made breakfast.

Paul poured Charlie a cup of coffee and joked, "When you're back at work and Bella moves in with me, I'll make sure to bring her back around to cook for you every once in a while to make sure you don't starve."

Bella wasn't sure if she was more shocked that Charlie didn't even flinch at the idea of her living with Paul or the fact that Charlie was taking a break from work.

Charlie had already told his deputies he would take a couple of weeks off work after the car accident instead of toughing it out on desk duty. She was surprised at the decision initially. Charlie was the kind of guy that got to the precinct first and was often the last to leave at the end of the day. She wasn't sure what had changed, but she was glad to make the most of her time with him before she moved in with Paul. Charlie had the exact same reason in mind, now that he knew Paul's plan.

They still hadn't directly discussed the whole wolf thing. Billy had come by the hospital after Bella left to explain further and answer any questions. Unsurprisingly, Charlie only worried about his daughter. She was safe from vampires now, but was she safe with Paul? Billy had the utmost faith in the protectors, and was able to reassure him that Bella was in good hands. Understanding the depth of the imprint was the final push to accept Paul was a permanent part of his daughter's life. He could still do some serious damage with a shotgun if Paul steps out of line, and he would be sure to remind the young man of that whenever necessary.

Bella startled back to the present when her name was called from the loud speaker. She could hear Jake's infectious laugh when she turned back to the front of the room with a jump and stumbled to her feet to retrieve her diploma. Thankfully, she didn't trip up the stairs to the stage. She awkwardly took her diploma with her casted hand, shook the principal's hand, and as many of the other student's had done before her, she turned back to the audience for a wave with her hideously purple cast.

And she saw her family cheering for her.

Charlie awkwardly tried to clap with his arm in a sling, but his beaming smile made up for it. Next to her father was a cheering Paul, radiating so much pride and happiness that she felt it in her own chest. Jake was on his feet clapping overenthusiastically next to Billy, who was clapping with much more decorum like the Chief he was. Leah was trying to pull Jake back to his chair while clapping herself. Quil and Embry cat called and hollered. The rest of the pack sat in the next row, each one cheering louder than the next.

Making it back to her seat, she turned to smile at Paul and her family again. Maybe Bella Swan could settle back into some semblance of normalcy.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

The fine hairs on the back of the neck of every wolf in the room stood on end. 

Revised 10/18/2020


End file.
